Bafana Bafana made South Africa proud on 3 February 2024 after their quarterfinal game in the Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON)

The South African team played against Cape Verde, and the clash led to penalties where Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeper shined

Bafana Bafana plays Cape Verde in AFCON

South Africa’s soccer team won against Cape Verde and qualified for the Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals for the first time since the year 2000. The game was won during the penalty stage after the teams were drawn at the 120-minute mark.

The deciding goal was scored by Mothobi Mvala, who plays defender for both Sundowns and the South African national team.

Bafana Bafana goalkeeper slays AFCON penalties

South African Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has been hailed as the hero of the game after saving four out of five penalties and helping the team secure the spot in their semifinal. He made history as the first keeper to manage the feat in one game at an international tournament.

AFCON chase for Bafana Bafana after 15-years

Bafana Bafana has previously qualified four times for the AFCON final and won the championship in 1996. It has been almost 15 years since the South African National team, and according to the team manager Hugo Henry Broos, the players were really nervous about the game as they all wanted to qualify. He said:

“ 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,” says Broos. He also adds that despite how it ends, he believes the team has already been successful: “we are in the semi finals. Nobody thought we would do that…”

The win against Cape Verde puts South Africa among the top four teams vying for a final two spot. The other teams are Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Côte D’ivoire.