sports, soccer, afcon Ronwen Williams, Image: Instagram @bafanabafana
Goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams inspiring performance on Saturday sends Bafana Bafana into their first Afcon semi-finals since what can be termed their glory days, when they won the title as hosts in 1996, runners-up in 1998 and then finished third in 2000.
Williams managed his fourth consecutive clean sheet in a match, helping to keep his side in the running with a brilliant save in the dying minutes of the game.
As if this wasn’t enough, Bafana Bafana’s shot-stopper pulled another remarkable performance to keep out penalties by Bebe, Willy Semedo, Laros Duarte and Patrick Andrade as South Africa -- who themselves failed to convert two spot-kicks -- progressed to a last-four showdown with Nigeria on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old Williams, of Mamelodi Sundowns, refused to accept all the credit for his heroics, instead gives a nod to the South African backroom team.
"I give credit to the analysts. They prepare me, they cut so many videos. We study the clubs. I study them as well, I try to pick up trends," he said in a post-match interview.
"My phone is full of penalty clips so it is credit to the analysts for doing the work because it is not easy to get footage of some of those players because they play all over the world."
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said his team's Africa Cup of Nations campaign must already be considered a success after they reached the semi-finals, but the veteran Belgian insisted "the hunger is big" to go all the way to the final.
“Let's say six hours ago I was 71, now I am 75. It was a very stressful game, certainly with penalties," admitted Broos.
"Today I saw and felt that my players were really nervous. There was a lot of pressure because everyone wanted to qualify for the semi-finals, and we didn't play like in our previous matches," admitted Broos, whose team had beaten Morocco 2-0 against the odds in the last 16.
“They will again be the underdogs against Victor Osimhen's Super Eagles in Bouake, leaving Broos to claim his side "have nothing to lose".
"It is maybe bizarre for me to say that but for us our Afcon has already been a success. We are in the semi-finals. Nobody thought we would do that when we left South Africa to come here.
"There will be less pressure on us, I am certain of that. That doesn't mean we don't want to play the final, certainly not."
Hugo Broos on leading Bafana Bafana to their first AFCON semi-final since 2000.#AFCON2023 | #CAN2023 pic.twitter.com/0qcKowqGVQ
— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) February 4, 2024
Broos has revived the fortunes of South Africa, having taken over following their failure to qualify for the last Cup of Nations two years ago.
While many of Africa's leading national sides lean heavily on players who belong to leading European clubs, Broos's squad is almost entirely comprised of stars from the South African league.
His starting line-up against Cape Verde, which was unchanged for a fourth successive game, featured eight players from the country's dominant club Mamelodi Sundowns.
Raising the standard
They are one of the finest teams on the continent, but there was still some scepticism as to whether South Africa would be good enough to make a big impact in Ivory Coast.
"I think there were many people in South Africa who didn't believe in the team, but we believed. The players believed that it could happen, and it happened, and I think this is a very good thing for South African football," said the coach.
"South African players are in the picture now, so that means there will be more interest for South African football.
"I hope that those who saw the games are now convinced that the level of the PSL (Premier Soccer League) has to be higher. We have to work on that.
"I think it is the right moment to do that now, but again being in the semi-final is something very special for South African football and let's hope now that maybe we can make a surprise again because now the hunger is big to play that final next Sunday."
Broos is now close to repeating his remarkable achievement with Cameroon, who he led to an unexpected Afcon title in Gabon in 2017.
He believes there are similarities between that campaign and his current team's run.
"I am not superstitious. But when you see the run we are having, and you see the run we had with Cameroon it is almost exactly the same," he said.
"It is kind of the same path. It was the case seven years ago with Cameroon. Nobody believed, nobody. And we won the Afcon." Let's hope we will do the same thing with South Africa."
Blue Sharks coach 'proud'
Meanwhile, Cape Verde go home at the end of a campaign in which they won a Cup of Nations knockout tie for the first time, although they will regret their poor performance in the shoot-out after having the best chances during the match itself.
"I think in some way we deserved to be in the semi-finals," said their coach, Pedro 'Bubista' Brito.
"I am proud of my team, I think we have had an excellent campaign. We always played to attack, were well organised when we didn't have the ball, and showed that a small country like us can compete.
"The people of Cape Verde must be proud of what we have done."
SA Reacts
Following the exciting game between the two side, South African began showing their excitement on social media platforms.
Among those who were heaping praises on the team were Kaizer Chief goal and former Bafana Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune.
Khune called his former Bafana Bafana rival “the best in the country and on the continent.”
Here are the Social media reaction
Well done Bafana Bafana!!! All the best in the semi-finals!
— Bianca van Wyk (@BiancavanWyk16) February 4, 2024
❤️🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦❤️ pic.twitter.com/3z7WbEW9N1
The EFF Congratulates Bafana Bafana on qualifying for the AFCON semifinals.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 4, 2024
We call on the whole country to rally behind this team. We also call on them to double their efforts and make the country proud. pic.twitter.com/C98fjw1mqb
hope the sports shops stock up on Bafana Bafana gear, school principals should turn Fridays into Bafana day, corporates should encourage staff to wear Bafana gear, anything else will be unfair at best and racist at worst pic.twitter.com/yFs1Pqq1lA
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) February 4, 2024
hope the sports shops stock up on Bafana Bafana gear, school principals should turn Fridays into Bafana day, corporates should encourage staff to wear Bafana gear, anything else will be unfair at best and racist at worst pic.twitter.com/yFs1Pqq1lA
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) February 4, 2024