South Africa Beat Cape Verde to Set up S’final Clash with Nigeria

Host Côte d’Ivoire grab last minute winner to reach Semis

Bafana Bafana of South Africa defeated Cape in penalty shootouts Super Eagles on Wednesday in Bouake.

South Africa’s goalkeeper,

Ronwen Williams was the hero of the night as he stopped four of Cape Verde’s kicks in the shootouts.

Regulation and added time deadlocked goalless dragged into penalty kicks. Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks were outright poor in their kicks as only Brian Teixeira scored from the spot.

Earlier, host nation, Côte d’Ivoire, produced another amazing Africa Cup of Na- heartbroken Mali’s expense on Saturday evening. - ity of the game at a numerical Kossounou’s dismissal for - sine Sinayoko and they fell behind to Nene Dorgeles’ classy curler.

But the Elephants equalised Simon Adingra’s opportunisvirtually the last kick of extra time when Diakite diverted home Seko Fofana’s shot. mixed emotions, however, as a second yellow card received for removing his shirt in celebration means he will be banned for Wednesday’s unsavoury scenes as several

Mali players surrounded referee Mohamed Adel, remonstrating with the ofshown a red card for taking his protests too far. the Eagles were complaining about, as there appeared little wrong with the goal that sparked wild scenes of celebration at the orange-bathed Stade de la Paix in Bouake.

A free-kick broke to Fofana on the edge of the area and, crowded goalmouth, Diakite, with his back to goal, instincthe ball past Mali goalkeeper

The quick thinking by the forward for French club Reims keeps the hosts’ hopes after a barely-believable route through the competition that has seen them on the brink of elimination on several occasions.