AFCON 2023: Super Eagles defeat South Africa on penalties to reach eighth final

Nigeria defeated South Africa 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time to reach their eighth Africa Cup of Nations final.

Bafana Bafana were back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2000 while the Super Eagles made it to the last four in the 2019 edition but lost to ultimate winners Algeria before taking the bronze medal.

Both sides started on a rather cautious note but the first notable moment came in the 13th minute when Ronwen Williams reacted brilliantly to keep out Ola Aina’s cross. The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper needed to be alert again 11 minutes later in keeping out Semi Ajayi’s header from an Ademola Lookman free kick.

The biggest moment of the half came in the 39th minute when Evidence Makgopa unleashed a powerful shot that forced a brilliant save out of Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Victor Osimhen, who was passed fit after suffering abdominal discomfort in Abidjan, tried to send a header in before the stroke of halftime but it went wide off target. The Napoli star sent another header wide in the second half from a Bright Osayi-Samuel cross.

Nigeria were awarded a penalty in the 67th minute after Mothobi Mvala brought down Osimhen in the box. Up stepped William Troost-Ekong who rolled the ball down the middle and under the legs of Williams for his second goal of the tournament having also scored from the spot against hosts Ivory Coast in the group stage.

Lookman had a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 84th minute but all his solo work in the build-up was ultimately stopped by Williams.

Osimhen thought he had scored his first goal of the tournament with the simplest of touches off an Osayi-Samuel pass in the 85th minute but the goal was ruled out after VAR spotted a foul by Alhassan Yusuf in the opposite box in the buildup to the goal. A penalty was awarded to South Africa and Teboho Mokoena duly converted to level the game.

On came extra time and South Africa were reduced to 10 men after Grant Kekana was given a straight red card for a foul as the last man on Terem Moffi on the edge of the box.

Next up was the penalty shootout and Nwabali saved South Africa’s first kick from Mokoena to give Nigeria the edge. Aina’s miss levelled things but Nwabali again saved Makgopa’s spot kick. Leicester City forward and substitute Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up to take Nigeria’s last penalty and sent it past Williams.

An unstoppable force!????????
A dynamic force!????????
A Gigantic force!????????
The Super Eagles through penalty shootout, soar against all odds into the FINALS????????????

*Nigeria???????? 1-1????????South Africa#Afrosport #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #NGRRSA pic.twitter.com/ceVd6sl50f

— AfroSport (@AfroSportTV) February 7, 2024

The Super Eagles have made it to the AFCON final for the first time since 2013 when they defeated Burkina Faso in Johannesburg. They will get to face the winner of the other semi-final between hosts Ivory Coast and DR Congo while South Africa will contest the third/fourth place playoff for the bronze medal.