The clash between South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals on Saturday extended into extra time and penalties before a decisive winner emerged.
Cape Verde faced a setback as they lost their first three penalties, with former Manchester United player Bebe missing the opening shot.
South Africa won 2-1 on penalties.
The team secured the AFCON semi-finals spot and will battle Nigeria on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at the Stade de Bouaké, Ivory Coast.
In a thrilling quarterfinal showdown at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, South Africa’s goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerged as the hero, making four saves in the penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes on Saturday night.
The intense clash witnessed both teams starting brightly in an open first half, but stellar defensive performances from Williams and Cape Verde’s Vozinha ensured a deadlock at halftime.
South Africa’s advancement to the semi-finals sets the stage for further excitement in the prestigious tournament, with Williams earning accolades for his match-winning contributions.
In a relentless battle, both teams fought tirelessly, but the scoreboard remained untouched, leading the quarterfinal clash into an added 30 minutes of extra time.
Despite intensified efforts, the deadlock persisted, ultimately pushing the showdown into a high-stakes penalty shootout.
It was Bafana Bafana’s semi-finals for the first time since 2000.