It was heartbreak for Bafana Bafana on Wednesday night after losing 4-2 to Nigeria on penalties in a captivating Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Ivory Coast.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw after added extra time, with the Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong scoring a penalty, while on the stroke of full time, Teboho Mokoena, slotted penalty for South Africa.

With two minutes to play in regulation time, Victor Osimhen, scored for Nigeria which would have given them a 2-0 win, however, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review indicated that the Bafana striker, Percy Tau, was fouled in the penalty area on the other side of the pitch.

The goal was overturned and South Africa were reward with a penalty which Mokoena slotted to level matters.

Unfortunately for Bafana, Mokoena, as well as Evidence Makgopa missed their penalties in the shootout. In addition, after his heroics in the penalty box during the quarter-final against Cape Verde, the Bafana captain and goalkeeper, Rowen Williams, looked flat-footed in the shootout, but his exhaustion can be understood.

Despite the defeat, the Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, lauded his troop for not only their outstanding performance against the Super Eagles, but also for their rock solid campaign which has see the team unite a country again.

“Football can be hard sometimes, when you see the performance of my team today, and then there is penalties, and then you lose the penalties and you are not in the finals, it’s hard to accept that because we play very good game today,” said Broos.

“I think we were the best team in the first half, we got the best chances, Nigeria didn’t have any chance. Second half they have few chances which resulted in a goal and we changed something tactically, and we could come back.  

“We created more chances which means if we had scored, we would have been in the final and not Nigeria.

“It’s a big disappointment for everyone, we believe we played a very good game, not just today but throughout the tournament.  I’m proud of my players, the disappointment is this but the proudness is that.”

Nigeria will go on to face Ivory Coast in Sunday’s final after the Ivorians managed to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in the other semi-final.

Bafana in turn will play for some pride during Saturday’s 3rd & 4th place playoff against the DRC.

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos after the semi-final exit.#AFCON2023 | @10bet_ZA pic.twitter.com/38fMmsQ4JZ

— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) February 7, 2024

Morgan Piek OFM Sport