AFCON Semifinals Live on StarTimes

AFCON semi-final matches are set to serve up a continental feast on Wednesday as Nigeria face South Africa at 6pm while host nation Côte d’Ivoire square-up with DR Congo at 9pm.

Both matches will be aired on StarTimes’ Sports Premium and Beta Sports channels as low as N1500 weekly, as well as the StarTimes-ON mobile app.

Nigeria, the three-time champions, arrive with the swagger of a team on a mission. Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon are capable of weaving magic on their own. The Super Eagles of Nigeria are brimming with an insatiable hunger for glory, while the resurgent Bafana Bafana of South Africa have a point to prove and a never-say-die spirit.

South Africa, the 1996 champions, are a team reborn. After years of wilderness, they’ve rediscovered their fighting spirit. They’ve silenced doubters with their resilience, grinding out results with a newfound defensive solidity. But can they match the attacking fireworks of the Super Eagles?

The stakes are high. Will Nigeria continue their dominant march, or will South Africa spring a surprise and rewrite the script? The fate will be sealed on Wednesday live on StarTimes, starting at 6pm.

Their only previous meeting at the same stage, at the National Stadium in Lagos when Nigeria co-hosted the 2000 finals with Ghana, ended 2-0 in favour of Nigeria.

South Africa has only beaten Nigeria twice in 14 previous meetings at full senior level, though Nigeria edged an African Nations Championship clash by beating the hosts 3-1 in Cape Town in 2014.

The pre-match banter is already spicy. Nigerian fans are confident, their chants echoing “We are the Champions!” South African supporters are fired up, reminding everyone that Bafana Bafana are back with a vengeance.