Nigeria advanced to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Bafana Bafana on penalties on Wednesday night.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos withdrew Thapelo Morena for Siyanda Xulu, while the Super Eagles were able to call on Victor Osimhen, who recovered from a stomach issue.
The promising signs in the early stages showed from the Super Eagles, but it was Bafana with the first shot when Sphephelo Sithole forced Stanley Nwabali to a save with a first-time from the area.
It continued to go the way of the South Africans before the half-hour mark, as Percy Tau got a good chance to make the deadlock from unmarked position in the box but failed to trouble Nwabali.
The Super Eagles came alive a little past the water-break and had goalkeeper Ronwen Williams go down to parry Alex Iwobi's curling shot from way out of the box.
At the other end, Bafana could have gone ahead through a telling strike outside the box by Evidence Makgopa following Tau's lay-off but Nwabali made a fine outstretched save.
Osimhen's first sight on goal came a few minutes into the second stanza where he snapped a floated cross in the box over target after attempting applying a header.
The star forward came good midway through the second half as he was brought down by Mothobi Mvala's challenge to win a penalty, allowing William Troost-Ekong to step up and beat Williams.
Bafana showed a double alteration with Mihlali Mayambela in for Xulu before Zakhele Lepasa made way for Themba Zwane.
Drama unfolded late on when Osimhen tapped in a gaping net at one end, only for the pitch-side to overturn and signal a penalty for Bafana as a certain Troost-Ekong upended Tau in the lead-up.
It was left to Teboho Mokoena to come forward in added time and the Mamelodi Sundowns man made no mistake by sending Nwabili in the opposite direction.
Bafana could've clinched it in added time with a first-time finish by Khuliso Mudau following Nwabili's rebound, but he blazed over – guiding the match to extra-time.
The Super Eagles were desperate to go ahead earlier on through a succession of chances from Ademola Lookman and Osimhen, but had Williams on high alert.
It got pretty difficult for Bafana inside 115 minutes where Grant Kekana received a straight red for a poor foul outside the area after the referee had consulted the pitch-side team.
The match was settled on penalties, and Nigeria looked on course for victory after converting the opening two whilst Bafana missed through Mokoena and Makgopa.
In the end, the Super Eagles advanced as Kelechi Iheanacho dispatched the winning kick to send them into the final and Bafana in the third/fourth place playoff.
Confirmed line-ups:
Nigeria: Nwabali, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Osayi-Samuel, Onyeka, Iwobi, Ola Aina, Lookman, Osimhen, Simon.
South Africa: Williams, Mudau, Kekana, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba, Sithole, Mokoena, Tau, Zwane, Makgopa.Subs: Mothwa, Goss, Mobbie, Mashego, Appollis, Adams, Monare, Lepasa, Sibisi, Mayambela, Morena
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!