South Africa Beat Cape Verde to Set up S’final Clash with Nigeria

• Host Côte d’Ivoire grab last minute winner to reach Semis 

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Bafana Bafana of South Africa defeated Cape Verde 2-1 in penalty shootouts last night to set up AFCON 2023 semi final clash with Super Eagles on Wednesday in Bouake.

South Africa’s goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams was the hero of the night as he stopped four of Cape Verde’s kicks in the shootouts. 

Regulation and added time deadlocked goalless before the quarter final game dragged into penalty kicks. Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks were outright poor in their kicks as only Brian Teixeira scored from the spot.

Earlier, host nation, Côte d’Ivoire, produced another amazing Africa Cup of Nations escape act as Oumar Diakite’s 122nd-minute winner sent the 10-man Elephants into the semi-finals at heartbroken Mali’s expense on Saturday evening.

The hosts played the majority of the game at a numerical disadvantage after Odilon Kossounou’s dismissal for two first-half fouls on Lassine Sinayoko and they fell behind to Nene Dorgeles’ classy curler.

But the Elephants equalised right on 90 minutes through Simon Adingra’s opportunistic finish – and won it with virtually the last kick of extra time when Diakite diverted home Seko Fofana’s shot.

Diakite left the field with mixed emotions, however, as a second yellow card received for removing his shirt in celebration means he will be banned for Wednesday’s semi-final against DR Congo.

The final whistle yielded unsavoury scenes as several Mali players surrounded referee Mohamed Adel, remonstrating with the official, and Hamari Traore was shown a red card for taking his protests too far.

It was difficult to see what the Eagles were complaining about, as there appeared little wrong with the goal that sparked wild scenes of celebration at the orange-bathed Stade de la Paix  in Bouake.

A free-kick broke to Fofana on the edge of the area and, as his shot flew through a crowded goalmouth, Diakite, with his back to goal, instinctively stuck out a foot to flick the ball past Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.

The quick thinking by the forward for French club Reims keeps the hosts’ hopes of a third AFCON title alive after a barely-believable route through the competition that has seen them on the brink of elimination on several occasions.