Nigeria will face South Africa in the first semifinal of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday at Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.
Bafana Bafana ensured their place in the last four with victory over Cape Verde on Saturday night, winning 2-1 on penalties. Both sides could not score in regular and extra times.
This is the third time for South Africa in the semifinal, who won their only title when they hosted in 1996, and then claimed the bronze in 2000 with Ghana and Nigeria as joint hosts.
South Africa were in Group E and finished behind Mali, winning only a game, and sharing honours in the other. They lost to Mali 0-2 in their opening fixture of Côte d’Ivoire 2023.
In the knockout stage, the Bafana Bafana shocked Morocco 2-0 to go on and challenge Cape Verde in the last eight.
Earlier on Saturday, hosts Côte d’Ivoire, who started the competition on a shaky note, delivered a winning goal in the last minute of extra time to edged out Mali 2-1. The Malians were a goal up through Nene Dorgeles’ 71st minute strike until Ivorien striker Simon Adingra drew his side level at the dot of 90 minutes.
Just as the fans were looking forward to the lottery of penalty shootouts, Oumar Diakité threw his nation into jubilation with his goal in the second added minute of extra time.
Wednesday’s semifinals: Nigeria v South Africa/Cape Verde (6 pm), Côte d’Ivoire v DR Congo (9pm)
