Nigeria will play its eighth African Cup final after its victory on penalties (1-1 tab: 4-2) in front of a valiant South African team. The Super Eagles, who are still suffering from a few cold sweats, will play the final this Sunday, February 11 (8 p.m. UT) against the winner of Ivory Coast-DR Congo.
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From our special correspondent in Bouaké,
That’s it ! Ivory Coast no longer has a monopoly on matches with crazy scenarios. Since this Wednesday, the Bouaké stadium can boast of having hosted the two craziest matches of this CAN 2024. Twists and turns, dramatic tension, suspense on penalties, etc. After the incredible Ivory Coast-Mali (2-1 ap), we will remember this Nigeria-South Africa which also played with the hearts of the supporters.
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Especially that of Nigerians. Because in three minutes, they went from heaven to hell, literally. From a second goal scored by Victor Osimhen to a VAR call which transformed it into an equalizer for Mokoena. But Mokoena, who seemed to put an end to their final dreams, will miss one of the penalties which will definitely send José Peseiro’s men to eighth heaven.
Flashback: we were playing the 86th minute, Osimhen thought he had scored the break goal after causing the penalty to open the score. But VAR came to the aid of South Africa. In the previous action, in fact, there was a foul in the Nigerian area on Percy Tau. Penalty! Teboho Mokoena was quick to reset the scorers, or rather to 1-1, in the last minute of regulation time (90th).
Nigeria suddenly came back down to earth and even failed to be punished in the following action, Awaziem Collins having missed the target after Nwabali released the ball from a free kick from Mokoena (96th). It will be overtime and confidence seemed to have changed sides.
Because before, even without being great, Nigeria had managed to be in front thanks to Victor Osimhen. The Naples player caused the opening penalty by taking responsibility, at a time when his team was stuck in the South African trap. The face-to-face between William Troost-Ekong, already a penalty scorer against Ivory Coast, and Ronwen Williams, author of four saves during the penalty shootout in the round of 16 against Cape Verde, won by first, was worth the detour.
Nigeria demonstrated that its presence in the last four is not a coincidence
Bafana Bafana were dangerous in their transitions. Several times, they managed to pierce the best defense of the tournament (only one goal conceded), like on their first opportunity in the first period which saw Percy Tau strike on goal and find the gloves of Nwabali (26th). Later, it was Makgopa who had the best opportunity of the first period by forcing the Nigerian goalkeeper to divert for a corner.
To counter the Super Eagles, the Belgian coach of the South Africans, Hugo Broos, abandoned his immutable 4-4-2 aligned since the start of the competition for a 3-4-3 supposed to adapt to the Nigerian system (5 -4-1). The South Africans, precise in their crosses or their through balls, ran like death in the middle and blocked the transmissions to Osimhen and Lookman. Thus shaking up Nigeria like never before in this CAN. The Super Eagles, unrecognizable, only had one (real) opportunity on a header from the inevitable Osimhen who narrowly escaped the target (44th).
And so comes this extension which will see the two teams no longer take any risks. The highlight will be the replacement of the essential Victor Osimhen by Terem Moffi (110th). It was the latter who caused the expulsion of Grant Kekana after a foul as the last defender.
Incredible on penalties during the round of 16 against Cape Verde, South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams did not stop any Nigerian shots. The only miss being that of Ola Aina, who put his ball over the crossbar. Nigeria can thank its goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, who made two saves during the penalty shootout, which allowed Iheanacho to score the Super Eagles’ winning penalty. To the delight of Nigerians.