Against Mali the home team equalized in the 90th minute with Adingra and at the end of extra time Diakite scored the 2-1 goal. They will challenge the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bafana Bafana will find Nigeria again
For everyone it was the quarter-final of surprises. Cape Verde, capable of winning the group ahead of Egypt and Ghana, against the splendid South Africa who eliminated the bogeyman Morocco in the round of 16. The verdict says Bafana Bafana: it will be a remake of the 2000 semi-final against Nigeria, when the Super Eagles prevailed 2-0. This time the Broos boys want to give themselves a different ending. May it be as exciting as the celebration at the final whistle of the match against the Cape Verdeans, inevitably marked by the miracles of Williams: the South African number one preserved the 0-0 with a save in the 90th minute on Benchimol and then took on the mantle in the penalties. In the final sequence, Cape Verde shoots five times, Williams saves four: Bebè and his teammates go home after hitting his gloves, while South Africa will ask him to repeat a test like this against Osimhen and Lookman. Then continues the crazy African Cup of Ivory Coast which celebrates again, eliminating Mali and cries. Once again the Ivorians overturned it in the final, as in the round of 16 against Senegal. The hosts play with one man less for the entire second half; at half-time Kossounou had been sent off. Then in the 90th minute Emerse Faé’s team equalized with Adingra. We went to extra time and only in the 120th minute Oumar Diakité’s backheel caused the Bouaké stadium to explode. At the start of the match, Chelle’s men had also missed a penalty with Traoré, saved by Yaya Fofana. Ivory Coast is in the semi-finals and will face the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mali-Ivory Coast 1-1, 1-2 aet
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Emerse Faé’s team was not very compact in the first half and suffered from the speed of their opponents. In the 10th minute Chelle’s men protested for a wide arm from Kossounou in the area after Niakaté’s shot. After seeing the action at VAR, the referee did not award the penalty because the Malian player was offside. For the Bayer Leverkusen defender it was an evening to forget: five minutes later he brought down Sinayoko in the area. This time it’s a penalty, Adama Traoré goes to the spot: Yaya Fofana blocks it. Despite the penalty neutralized, Ivory Coast struggled to react. Then in the 43rd minute Kossounou is once again a negative protagonist: he commits another foul and gets his second yellow card. The Ivorians remain with ten men for the entire second half. In the second half Fiorentina striker Kouamé was out, Sébastien Haller came on. The home team closed well and their opponents were unable to find space. Until the 72nd minute, when Nene – who had come on ten minutes earlier – sat Kessie down and with a perfect curling shot placed him in the corner. First goal in the tournament for the Salzburg forward born in 2002. In the final minutes the Ivorians increased the pressure and in the 90th minute they equalized with Adingra: the Brighton striker who had just come on punctured Diarra’s hands. We go to extra time. In the 96th minute Haller’s header hits the crossbar. Then little happens until the 120th minute, but Ivory Coast are always dangerous even when there is very little left. Seko Fofana shoots from far away, with his heel Diakité deflects it just enough to mock the goalkeeper. Already booked, the Reims striker born in 2003 celebrates by taking off his shirt and is sent off. But Emerse Faé’s team is like this, they don’t give up and reach the semi-finals: they will challenge the Democratic Republic of Congo.
CAPE VERDE-SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 (1-2 dcr)
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The Blue Sharks have never reached the semi-finals, South Africa have not reached the finish line since 2000. The emotion can be felt, because in the first half the goalkeepers remained essentially inactive. Cape Verde sinks with Lenini, header wide from Monteiro’s cross. Bafana Bafana responded with Mokoena’s great shot blocked without any worries by Vozinha (the only shot on target in the first half). In the second half, Bubista’s selection gradually emerges: Garry Rodrigues doesn’t angle the attempt, Monteiro takes command of the midfield. In the 71st minute, a chance for Rodrigues’s placed shot was rejected by the defenders at the best moment. It could be Jovane Cabral’s great right-foot shot in the 77th minute that went just over the ball. One last chance before extra time is actually the biggest of the match: vertical for Benchimol, a powerful right-footed shot on which Williams performs a miracle by sending the ball against the crossbar. Extra time: South Africa suddenly finds space with Mayambela (spectacular exit from Vozinha who tells him no from five meters) and Makgopa (great reflex from the Cape Verdean under the crossbar). Cape Verde would have more quality up front, but doesn’t shine with altruism: Bebè and Benchimol kick over ten times towards goal, but the posts are a mirage for both. The only way to break the deadlock is to go to penalties. Ready-go and Bebè makes an immediate mistake, imitated on the second shot by his teammate Semedo. South Africa only scores two out of four, but never mind: the absurd Williams in fact closes the shutter, saving a total of four out of five. The fifth, incidentally, comes close. South Africa rejoices, Cape Verde’s fairy tale ends eleven meters from the dream.
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