Captain Ronwen Williams saved 4 penalties to assist South Africa attain the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations following a 0-0 draw in opposition to Cape Verde.Bebe, Willy Semedo, Laros Duarte and Patrick Andrade have been all denied within the shootout by the excellent Williams, who additionally made a spectacular late save to tip Gilson Benchimol’s first-time strike in opposition to the woodwork and make sure the gruelling quarter-final entered further time.Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha made two distinctive saves in fast succession shortly after further time started to disclaim Mihlali Mayambela and Teboho Mokoena.South Africa will now have the possibility to avenge their defeat by Nigeria on their final look within the Afcon semi-finals, after they have been overwhelmed 2-0 by the Tremendous Eagles in 2000.Williams sends South Africa to semi-finalsA second which is able to maybe be remembered because the save of the match was as shut as both staff got here in regular time throughout a contest largely characterised by poor ending.Williams will undoubtedly be a contender for the Finest Goalkeeper award as soon as the match is over, and his fingertip save as he sprung into the air to maintain out Benchimol’s effort by the slightest of margins was a exceptional reflex cease.Ronwen Williams’ penalty heroics got here after he had made an outstanding save throughout second-half added time of regular timeThere was even higher to come back from the 32-year-old when he stopped Cape Verde’s first three penalties by diving to his proper and thwarted Andrade by leaping in the wrong way, having appeared to seek the advice of notes on a water bottle between every kick.Cape Verde had extra of the possession in the course of the early levels earlier than South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena blasted an effort straight at Vozinha and Themba Zwane and Proof Makgopa each scuffed photographs broad from promising positions at reverse ends.With Percy Tau higher positioned to shoot, an off-balance Khuliso Mudau wedged an early effort behind as a part of a slick South Africa transfer he was on the centre of.Tau was then concerned in a flashpoint on the stroke of half-time when he appeared to push Kenny Rocha Santos to the ground, with Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala deciding to take no motion in opposition to both participant.The incident proved the ultimate act of a primary interval which was removed from a traditional, inflicting some locals within the stands at Yamoussoukro’s Charles Konan Banny Stadium to create their very own leisure by audibly celebrating Ivory Coast’s last-gasp win over Mali after further time of Saturday’s earlier quarter-final.Garry Rodrigues, who was Cape Verde’s hero with their late winner in opposition to Ghana of their opening match of the finals, made his first begin on the match instead of former Manchester United attacker Bebe, whereas Rocha Santos changed Deroy Duarte in midfield for the Blue Sharks.Joao Paulo Fernandes despatched Rodrigues clear contained in the penalty space with a perceptive low move from the flank, just for the winger to ship a shot straight into Williams’ arms.Cape Verde had two advantageous probabilities in fast succession following the introduction of Bebe for Rodrigues late within the second half, Rocha Santos having a shot blocked after incisive work by the substitute and Jovane Cabral blazing a strike over.With nerves fraying within the shootout, Mokoena scored for South Africa however Zakhele Lepasa despatched his effort excessive and Aubrey Modiba noticed his parried by Vozinha as Hugo Broos’ facet triumphed 2-1.Broos has efficiently trusted in unchanged beginning choices for every of his facet’s previous 4 matches, and their job could possibly be far trickier in opposition to their subsequent opponents, who’re within the semi-finals for the thirteenth time in 15 Afcon appearances and on a run of 4 successive clear sheets.South Africa have matched that defensive sequence, doing so for the primary time of their eleventh look on the finals.And with Williams on this type, it could take one thing particular for Victor Osimhen and his team-mates to discover a well past the 1996 champions, who will try and bridge a 24-place hole in Fifa’s rankings after they meet the three-time winners in Bouake on Wednesday (17:00 GMT).South Africa haven’t conceded since dropping their opening match of the match 2-0 to MaliLine-upsCape VerdeFormation 4-3-31Évora Dias23Moreira5Evans Costa4Lopes8Moreira Fernandes10Monteiro Alvarenga26Gonçalves Pereira de Pina18Rocha Santos20Mendes da Graça7Borges Cabral11Mendes Rodrigues1Évora Dias23Moreira5Evans Costa4Lopes8Moreira Fernandes10Monteiro AlvarengaSubstituted ford’Encarnação Duarteat 86’minutes26Gonçalves Pereira de PinaSubstituted forCorreia Andradeat 65’minutes18Rocha SantosSubstituted forSilva Teixeira Jr.at 119’minutes20Mendes da GraçaBooked at 27minsSubstituted forJohnson Semedo Afonsoat 65’minutes7Borges CabralSubstituted forBenchimol Tavaresat 87’minutes11Mendes RodriguesSubstituted forDias Correiaat 72’minutesSubstitutes2dos Santos Tavares3Monteiro Sanches Borges6Correia Andrade9Benchimol Tavares13Pereira Fernandes14D’Encarnação Duarte15d’Encarnação Duarte16Tavares dos Santos17Johnson Semedo Afonso19Silva Teixeira Jr.21Dias Correia24Garcia da SilvaSouth AfricaFormation 4-2-3-11Williams20Mudau18Kekana14Mvala6Modiba4Mokoena13Sithole23Morena11Zwane10Tau9Makgopa1Williams20MudauSubstituted forMobbieat 103’minutes18Kekana14Mvala6Modiba4Mokoena13Sithole23MorenaSubstituted forMasekoat 63’minutesSubstituted forMashegoat 114’minutes11ZwaneSubstituted forAdamsat 90’minutes10TauSubstituted forMayambelaat 85’minutes9MakgopaSubstituted forLepasaat 103’minutesSubstitutes2Mobbie3Mashego5Xulu7Appollis8Adams12Maseko15Monare16Mothwa17Lepasa19Sibisi21Mayambela22GossReferee:Jean Jacques Ndala NgamboLive TextMatch ends, Cabo Verde 0(1), South Africa 0(2).Penalty Shootout ends, Cabo Verde 0(1), South Africa 0(2).Penalty saved. Patrick Andrade (Cabo Verde) left footed shot saved within the centre of the aim.Objective! Cabo Verde 0(1), South Africa 0(2). Mothobi Mvala (South Africa) converts the penalty with a proper footed shot to the underside left nook.Objective! Cabo Verde 0(1), South Africa 0(1). Bryan Teixeira (Cabo Verde) converts the penalty with a proper footed shot to the underside proper nook.Penalty saved. Aubrey Modiba (South Africa) left footed shot saved within the centre of the aim.Penalty saved. Laros Duarte (Cabo Verde) proper footed shot saved within the backside left nook.Penalty missed! Nonetheless Cabo Verde 0, South Africa 0(1). Zakhele Lepasa (South Africa) hits the bar with a proper footed shot.Penalty saved. Willy Semedo (Cabo Verde) proper footed shot saved within the backside left nook.Objective! Cabo Verde 0, South Africa 0(1). Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) converts the penalty with a proper footed shot to the highest left nook.Penalty saved. Bebé (Cabo Verde) proper footed shot saved within the backside left nook.Penalty Shootout begins Cabo Verde 0, South Africa 0.Second Half Additional Time ends, Cabo Verde 0, South Africa 0.Try missed. Bebé (Cabo Verde) proper footed shot from outdoors the field is shut, however misses to the left. Assisted by Bryan Teixeira.Substitution, Cabo Verde. Bryan Teixeira replaces Kenny Rocha.Offside, Cabo Verde. Gilson Benchimol is caught offside.Try saved. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) proper footed shot from outdoors the field is saved within the centre of the aim. Assisted by Terrence Mashego.Try missed. Nyiko Mobbie (South Africa) proper footed shot from greater than 35 yards misses to the left.Foul by Willy Semedo (Cabo Verde).Sphephelo Sithole (South Africa) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
