The clash between South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Saturday extended into extra time and penalties before a decisive winner emerged.

Cape Verde faced a setback as they lost their first three penalties, with former Manchester United player Bebe missing the opening shot.

South Africa won 2-1 on penalties.

The team secured the AFCON semi-finals spot and will battle Nigeria on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at the Stade de Bouaké, Ivory Coast.

In a thrilling quarterfinal showdown at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, South Africa’s goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerged as the hero, making four saves in the penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes on Saturday night.

The intense clash witnessed both teams starting brightly in an open first half, but stellar defensive performances from Williams and Cape Verde’s Vozinha ensured a deadlock at halftime.

South Africa’s advancement to the semi-finals sets the stage for further excitement in the prestigious tournament, with Williams earning accolades for his match-winning contributions.

In a relentless battle, both teams fought tirelessly, but the scoreboard remained untouched, leading the quarterfinal clash into an added 30 minutes extra-time.

Despite intensified efforts, the deadlock persisted, ultimately pushing the showdown into a high-stakes penalty shootout.

It was the Bafana Bafana’s semi-finals for the first time since 2000.