Nigeria achieves its fifth successive victory in the current edition (French)
Nigeria confirmed its superiority over South Africa when it defeated it 4-2 on penalties (regular and extra time 1-1) and reached the final of the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast on Wednesday at the Al Salam Stadium in Bouake in the semi-finals.
Nigeria was on its way to deciding the result of the match in its original time when it advanced with a goal by its captain, Greek defender PAOK Athens William Troost-Ekong, in the 67th minute from a penalty kick, but South Africa, which eliminated Morocco from the last 16, equalized in the last minute through the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder. Thiboho Mokoena (90, penalty kick).
The tie continued into extra time, before Nigeria suffered its rival, South Africa, to taste the bitterness of losing on penalties by winning the penalty in its favor thanks to the brilliance of its goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabili, who plays for the South African team Chippa United, by saving two penalties: the first by Mokoena and the third by Evidence Makgoba.
On the other hand, South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who saved four penalty kicks in the quarter-final against Cape Verde, failed to save any penalty kick, and the only kick that Nigeria missed was the third, when its defender Ola Aina sent it over the crossbar.
A strange scenario in the last moments of the confrontation between Nigeria and South Africa resulted in a penalty kick for Bafana Bafana, through which they equalized #Africa_Cup of Nations | #Nigeria_South_Africa #AFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/QAb4rqLrcG
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 7, 2024
This is the fourth time that Nigeria has surpassed South Africa in the continental tournament in four confrontations between them so far.
The Green Eagles, seeking the fourth title in their history, will meet in the final next Sunday at Hassan Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, with the host Ivory Coast or the Democratic Republic of Congo, who will meet later in the final stadium.
Nigeria, which competed in the 16th semi-final in the history of its participation, reached the eighth final after 1980, when it won its first title, 1984, 1988, 1990, and 1994, when it won its second title, and 2000 and 2013, when it won its third title.
On the other hand, South Africa, which played in the third semi-final after 1996, 1998 and 2000, failed to untie the Nigerian knot and reach the third final after 1996, when it won its first and last title at the expense of Tunisia, and 1998, when it lost to Egypt.
South Africa will play the third-place match on Saturday at the Felix Ouveut-Boigny Stadium in the capital.
It is the fifth consecutive victory for Nigeria in the current edition, specifically since its draw with Equatorial Guinea in the first round.
⏯️⚽️ Watch the penalty shootout from the Nigeria-South Africa match
Nigeria reaches the final of the Africa Cup of Nations by defeating South Africa on penalties after the end of regular and extra time in a 1-1 draw#Africa_Cup of Nations | #Nigeria_South_Africa #AFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/J4X9NdYEjL
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 7, 2024
Source: French