In Bouake

South Africa’s assistant coach, Helman Mkhalele, reminisced about the challenging circumstances surrounding their 2000 Afcon semi-final defeat to Nigeria in Lagos.

“When we landed in Lagos, people were saying, ‘You’re going to get beaten badly.’ There was a lot of hostility, and I believe, as a team, we struggled to handle that pressure,” he explained.

He admitted that costly mistakes made by the South Africans proved decisive against a strong Nigerian team. “By the 35th minute, the game was pretty much over after Tijani Babangida’s brace,” he said.

This Saturday will mark exactly 24 years since that encounter. But today, the two teams will face-off again at the same stage in Bouake.

For the first time in over two decades, Bafana Bafana have made it to the semi-finals of the Afcon, thanks to the heroics of their goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams.

Williams, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, saved four penalties, a historic feat in the Afcon, to deny impressive Cape Verde passage to the last four.

Mkhalele, an Afcon winner in 1996, acknowledged the intense rivalry between the two nations, which extends beyond football

“Since 2000, the Nigerians have often mocked us,” he said. “But over the years, we’ve closed the gap. Even now, I believe their dominance claims lack the confidence.”

Interestingly, South Africa has never beaten Nigeria at the Afcon, and Williams believes the current crop could rewrite history today.

“Stats don’t play the game, there’s so many stats that were against us this tournament,” Williams said. “We proved that stats don’t play the game in this tournament. What happened in the past, we can’t change the past. But what we can change is tomorrow. It’s tomorrow’s performance. It’s tomorrow’s result. We don’t look at that.”

The Super Eagles have enjoyed an incredible defensive record at the tournament, only conceding one goal. It was in the 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in the opening match of their campaign. Since then, they have scored five goals to get through to the semis.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos compares the Super Eagles’ encounter to that of Morocco in the last 16, where his charges faced players plying their trade in top European leagues.

South Africa emerged 2-0 victors in that encounter. Their opponents today have Ademola Lookman, who has been in fine form here.

The Atalanta star forward has scored three goals in the tournament. Nigeria also have William Troost Ekong of Greece club PAOK and Victor Osimhen, who will have to pass a late fitness test.

Nonetheless, the Belgian mentor, an Afcon winner in 2017 with Cameroon, is not fazed by the big names in the Super Eagles dressing room.

“We’re playing a very good team, number six on the continent, with a lot of players who play abroad,” he said. 

“It’s a little bit the same situation against Morocco. Also a very good team with players who are playing in Europe. So you can compare. 

I think for many people, Nigeria is going to be the favourite to win that game. As you know, in football, it’s not always the favourite who wins. We are confident and motivated….that South Africa, after 20 years, is in the final.”

Broos’s top performers in Cote d’Ivoire have been Teboho Mokoena of Mamelodi Sundowns and his midfield partner Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole, one of three players based outside South Africa.