Nigeria take on South Africa in the first Africa Cup of Nations semi-final this evening in what promises to be a barnstorming clash at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
Both teams have been defensively solid throughout the tournament with Nigeria only conceding one goal on their route to the final four – in their opening game against Equatorial Guinea – having kept four clean sheets in a row. That feat was matched by South Africa in their penalty shootout victory over Cape Verde after Bafana Bafana had held their opponents to a goalless draw to also record a fourth straight clean sheet.
The Super Eagles, who have been short on goals in this tournament, edged past Angola in their quarter-final thanks to Ademola Lookman’s first half strike. It was the only goal of the game and the third time in this tournament that Nigeria have won 1-0.
Only once since the last time Nigeria won the title, which was over a decade ago, have they reached this stage of the competition. They have lost five of their last six Afcon semi-final matches but that is nothing in comparison to South Africa who last reached the final four in 2000.
Follow all the action below plus get the latest Afcon odds and tips right here:
Nigeria vs South Africa
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Nigeria book place in Sunday’s final after dramatic penalty shootout win
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Game heads to penalties after 1-1 draw after extra-time
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‘90+6 CHANCE! Mudau spurns golden late opportunity (NGA 1-1 RSA)
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‘90 GOAL! Mokoena equalises after VAR drama (NGA 1-1 RSA)
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‘67 GOAL! Troost-Ekong converts from spot (NGA 1-0 RSA)
Nigeria 4-2 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:51 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! Iheanacho with the crucial penalty…and he scores!
Nigeria advance to the final – what a moment for the Super Eagles!
Nigeria 3-2 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:50 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! South Africa have to score to stay in the contest. Mvala steps up…and he makes no mistake.
Nigeria 3-1 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:48 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! An emphatic finish from Troost-Ekong to put Nigeria on the brink of a place in the final.
Nigeria 2-1 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:48 , Ben Fleming
SAVED! Or have they…Makgopa steps up but his effort is saved by Nwabali with a great stop down low to his right!
Nigeria 2-1 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:47 , Ben Fleming
OVER! A terrible penalty from Aina who blazes over the bar. Advantage gone for Nigeria.
Nigeria 2-1 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:46 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! Mayambela just squeezes it past and South Africa have their first.
Nigeria 2-0 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:45 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! Nigeria take the early advantage as Omeruo, only just off the bench, cooly slots past Williams.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:44 , Ben Fleming
SAVED! Mokoena converted in the 90 minutes but his effort is saved this time by Nwabali down low to his right!
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa (penalty shootout)
19:43 , Ben Fleming
GOAL! Nigeria will take first and Moffi makes no mistake, firing down the middle.
PENALTIES! Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:37 , Ben Fleming
And it will be penalties to decide this semi-final!
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:37 , Ben Fleming
120+2 mins: Osayi-Samuel makes way for Omeruo late on.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:35 , Ben Fleming
120 mins: Just two minutes of added time before we head to a penalty shootout.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:34 , Ben Fleming
119 mins: Another late chance for Iheanacho but it’s deflected behind for a late corner. South Africa, though, deal with the threat.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:32 , Ben Fleming
117 mins: A change after that red as Lepasa comes off for Sibisi. Iheanacho strikes the free-kick but it’s straight down the throat of Williams.
RED CARD! Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:31 , Ben Fleming
115 mins: Kekana did bring down Moffi and is shown his marching orders after a VAR check. The foul was just outside the area but it’s a great chance for Nigeria.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:27 , Ben Fleming
112 mins: Kekana brings down Moffi on the edge of the box but the referee waves away the protests. VAR is tacking a look, though, and it did look like the South African clipped the forward.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:26 , Ben Fleming
110 mins: Another roll of the dice as Osimhen comes off for Moffi. Perhaps a surprise to see the Napoli striker come off close to a potential penalty shootout.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:23 , Ben Fleming
108 mins: South Africa swing in a corner from the right but Nigeria clear the ball away.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:21 , Ben Fleming
106 mins: Nigeria start fast in the second half of extra time but Osimhen heads wide from Aina’s cross.
HALF-TIME: Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:18 , Ben Fleming
One half down, 15 minutes to go or we’re heading for a penalty shootout.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:17 , Ben Fleming
105 mins: A long throw-in is launched into the box but it’s saved well by Williams who continues to impress.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:14 , Ben Fleming
102 mins: Another double change from Nigeria as Aribo and Iheanacho replace Onyeka and Lookman.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:13 , Ben Fleming
101 mins: The Super Eagles break from South Africa’s corner and fine turn from Osimhen creates a shooting opportunity for the Napoli striker but it’s a good save down low from Williams to deny him.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:11 , Ben Fleming
100 mins: A bright start to extra-time has petered out somewhat, with both sides lowering the tempo somewhat. Makgopa does well, though, down the right to win a corner for his side.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:05 , Ben Fleming
93 mins: Williams does well to palm away a sharp effort and deny Lookman and Nigeria once again.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
19:02 , Ben Fleming
91 mins: And we’re back underway in extra-time.
EXTRA-TIME! Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
18:59 , Ben Fleming
We’ll need at least another 30 minutes to separate these two sides as the ref blows the full-time whistle.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
18:57 , Ben Fleming
90+6 mins: HOW HAS HE MISSED!? Modiba’s free-kick is saved by Nwabali but the loose ball drops to Mudau who somehow skews his effort over the bar from no more than five yards out.
What a chance to win it for South Africa.
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
18:55 , Ben Fleming
90+5 mins: South Africa, now, looking for a late winner. Tau’s low ball into the box can’t be turned home but Bafana Bafana now have a free-kick about 30 yards from goal.
They couldn’t, could they…
Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
18:53 , Ben Fleming
90+3 mins: Makgopa attempts and acrobatic finish but the ball flies out for a goal-kick.
GOAL! Nigeria 1-1 South Africa (Mokoena, 90 mins)
18:50 , Ben Fleming
South Africa equalise! Mokoena sends Nwabali the wrong way and this is now surely heading for extra-time.
DISALLOWED! Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:48 , Ben Fleming
DRAMA! Not only is the goal ruled out for a foul but Yusuf’s tackle on Tau was inside the box and now South Africa have a penalty and a chance to level this match in the dying moments.
GOAL! Nigeria 2-0 South Africa (Osimhen, 85 mins)
18:45 , Ben Fleming
And that could be that!
A superb counter-attack from the Super Eagles delivers what should be the match-winning moment. Lookman feeds Osayi-Samuel down the right and his low ball into the box is tapped home by Osimhen, unmarked at the back post.
But wait, now there’s a VAR check for a foul in the build-up.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:44 , Ben Fleming
84 mins: CLOSE! Superb keeping by Williams to keep his side in the game. Lookman bursts clear inside the box but the Nigerian forward is unable to round the South African keeper who superbly claims the ball.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:43 , Ben Fleming
83 mins: A look of concern emanating from the South African bench. Their team needs to find a moment of inspiration in the game’s final moments.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:39 , Ben Fleming
79 mins: A free-kick from the right for South Africa is whipped in by Tau but Nwabali bravely comes through the crowd to punch the ball clear before the ref blows for a foul on the Nigerian keeper.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:36 , Ben Fleming
74 mins: CLOSE! So close to an equaliser for South Africa. Makgopa spins Troost-Ekong but his fierce effort from the edge of the box goes just wide of the post with Nwabali rooted to the spot.
Nigeria 1-0 South Africa
18:31 , Ben Fleming
70 mins: Into the final twenty minutes of the game we go as Nigeria look to push for a second. Onyeka goes down outside the box and the Super Eagles have a good free-kick opportunity. Lookman delivers but Makgopa, once again, heads it clear.
GOAL! Nigeria 1-0 South Africa (Troost-Ekong, 67 mins)
18:26 , Ben Fleming
The Super Eagles captain makes no mistake! Williams dives his left but Troost-Ekong smashes it down the middle and Nigeria lead.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:25 , Ben Fleming
64 mins: PENALTY! Osimhen goes down in the area under the challenge of Mvala and the referee points the spot. The first moment of real quality from the Super Eagles talisman and his side now have a chance to put themselves within touching distance of Sunday’s final.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:23 , Ben Fleming
62 mins: A double change for the Super Eagles as Iwobi and Simon make way for Yusuf and Chukwueze.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:21 , Ben Fleming
61 mins: Nigeria having plenty of the ball but distinctly lacking any sort of attacking creativity. Onyeka lines on up from range but it flies high and wide into the crowd.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:17 , Ben Fleming
57 mins: Osayi-Samuel clips in a cross from the right side but Osimhen can’t keep his header down. The Napoli frontman has really struggled to have an influence on this game so far.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:14 , Ben Fleming
53 mins: Another corner is swung in by Nigeria but it’s Makgopa, this time, who rises highest to clear it away. Bafana Bafana break up the other end but Tau’s appeals for a penalty are waved away by the referee.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:12 , Ben Fleming
51 mins: Lookman gets in behind the South African defence but his cross is blocked out for a corner. The Atalanta forward whips in the corner to the back post but the danger is cleared away.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:09 , Ben Fleming
48 mins: Lookman and Iwobi attempt a give-and-go to get behind the South African defence but the ball is intercepted well.
KICK-OFF! Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:05 , Ben Fleming
46 mins: And we’re back underway in the second half.
HALF-TIME: Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
18:00 , Ben Fleming
Osimhen has had just 9 touches in the first half, the fewest of any player. Nigeria will need to get their talisman on the ball far more often after the break if they are to make a breakthrough.
HALF-TIME: Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:53 , Ben Fleming
South Africa’s superb first-half defensive record continues. Bafana Bafana have still not conceded a first-half goal this tournament, while Nigeria have only conceded one in the opening 45 minutes.
HALF-TIME: Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:51 , Ben Fleming
And there goes the half-time whistle. Not much in the way of goalmouth action in the first period, with Makgopa’s effort – denied superbly by Nwabali – the best chance of the half.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:47 , Ben Fleming
45 mins: Just two minutes of added time to end this first half.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:46 , Ben Fleming
43 mins: Osimhen drifts into the right channel but his low cross into the box is blocked well.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:42 , Ben Fleming
39 mins: SAVE! A great chance for South Africa to break the deadlock but Makgopa’s effort is saved superbly by Nwabali.
Tau does great to bring down the high ball, laying it back to his strike partner but the Super Eagles keeper dives superbly to his left to palm the effort behind for a corner.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:39 , Ben Fleming
37 mins: Slowly but surely, this game is starting to open up. Iwboi lines one up from range but Williams makes the comfortable save.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:37 , Ben Fleming
35 mins: A slight opening from Tau but a heavy touch from the forward allows Nwabali to storm off his line and claim the ball.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:36 , Ben Fleming
34 mins: Osayi gets a slight flick on the ball which sends it out for South Africa’s first corner. Tau whips it in from the left but Sithole heads it wide.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:32 , Ben Fleming
30 mins: A speculative effort in every sense of the word from Osimhen as he tries to catch Williams off his line from well inside his own half. The effort is blocked, however.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:29 , Ben Fleming
26 mins: A superb sliding challenge from Onyeka to deny Zwane a great chance. Mudau breaks down the right but the Nigerian midfielder is in the right place to prevent a huge goalscoring opportunity for Bafana Bafana.
There is a brief VAR check for handball but nothing doing.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:27 , Ben Fleming
23 mins: A free-kick in a promising position for the Super Eagle, just out to the left but an enticing distance from goal. Lookman swings in the ball but Ajayi’s header is saved easily by Williams.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:23 , Ben Fleming
20 mins: Goalles it remains after twenty minutes. Both sides still struggling to create opportunities against the other’s defence but Nigeria beginning to assert their dominance in possession.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:18 , Ben Fleming
15 mins: South Africa’s first effort of the game as Sithole lies one up from range. It’s straight down the throat of Nwabali who makes the comfortable save.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:17 , Ben Fleming
13 mins: CLOSE! A dangerous ball in from Aina almost finds Ekong in the box. Williams flaps at the cross and is unable to punch it clear but the ball flies out for a throw-in.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:11 , Ben Fleming
8 mins: Nigeria progress the ball down the right well but a poor cross from Aina is overhit and flies out for a goal-kick.
Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:06 , Ben Fleming
4 mins: A cagey start as both teams ease their way into this contest. Neither side have been free-scoring in this tournament to date so we may not be expecting a flurry of goals.
KICK-OFF! Nigeria 0-0 South Africa
17:02 , Ben Fleming
1 min: Nigeria get us underway in this crunch semi-final.
Closing in on kick-off
16:55 , Ben Fleming
Just five minutes to go – which team will be the first to punch their ticket to Sunday’s final?
History favours the favourites
16:49 , Ben Fleming
South Africa have upset the odds to reach this stage in the competition and will have to do so again if they are to progress to the final.
History, however, does not favour Bafana Bafana. In fact, this will be the fourth encounter between Nigeria and South Africa at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, with the Super Eagles winning the previous three by an aggregate score of 8-1.
Ominous signs…
Routes to the semi-finals
16:42 , Ben Fleming
Nigeria
Group stage
Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
Ivory Coast 0-1 Nigeria
Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria
Knockouts
Ro16: bt. Cameron 2-0
QF: bt. Angola 1-0
South Africa
Group stage
Mali 2-0 South Africa
South Africa 4-0 Namibia
South Africa 0-0 Tunisia
Knockouts
Ro16: bt. Morocco 2-0
QF: bt. Cape Verde on penalties
‘Resurrected’ Ivory Coast were gifted Africa Cup of Nations reprieve – now they could go on to win it
16:35 , Ben Fleming
Later tonight, The Elephants face DR Congo in the other Afcon semi-final.
Having sacked a manager they could now beat the entire continent. It would make a redemption story improbable enough to make the Mighty Ducks, the Karate Kid or even Rocky blush but it’s what Ivory Coast are facing the prospect of at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The hosts of this year’s tournament were within a whisker of being knocked out embarrassingly early on home soil but a brave decision looks to have become an inspired one, with the Elephants now just 90 minutes away from their first Afcon final in almost a decade.
This, after being only injury time away from an ignominious exit. From the group stage, the top two go through – and so do four of the six third-placed teams. In other words, only the worst eight nations from the starting 24 fail to make the knockouts at the Afcon, and Ivory Coast put themselves firmly on course to be in that collection after a win and two defeats.
Read Karl Matchett’s preview:
‘Resurrected’ Ivory Coast were gifted Afcon reprieve – now they could go on to win it
Last time out for South Africa
16:25 , Ben Fleming
Ronwen Williams made four saves as South Africa beat Cape Verde 2-1 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Saturday.
The Bafana Bafana goalkeeper also made a stunning stop at the end of normal time as the last-eight clash in Yamoussoukro ended goalless.
It was his fourth successive clean sheet in the tournament. Cape Verde created the most chances throughout the game but were unable to make the most of their opportunities and South Africa, the 1996 champions, will now play Nigeria for a place in the final.
And her’s a recap of South Africa’s quarter-final clash:
Ronwen Williams saves four penalties as South Africa beat Cape Verde in shootout
South Africa team news
16:17 , Ben Fleming
South Africa, meanwhile, also make just one change from their penalty shootout win against Cape Verde. Khuliso Mudau is deployed further forward on the right wing, with Thapelo Morena dropping to the bench.
Grant Kekana shifts across to right-back as Siyanda Xulu comes in at centre-back alongside Mothobi Mvala.
South Africa XI: Williams, Kekana, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba, Mokoena, Sithole, Zwane, Mudau, Makgopa, Tau
Subs: Mobbie, Mashego, Appollis, Adams, Monare, Mothwa, Lepasa, Sibisi, Mayambela, Goss, Morena
Nigeria team news
16:09 , Ben Fleming
The big news for the Super Eagles is that star striker Victor Osimhen is passed fit to start after his injury in the quarter-final. Elsewhere, there is just one change as Osayi-Samuel replaces Zaidu at left wing-back.
Nigeria XI: Nwabali, Aina, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Osayi-Samuel, Onyeka, Iwobi, Lookman, Simon, Osimhen
Subs: Uzoho, Alhassan, Musa, Aribo, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Onuachu, Awaziem, Omeruo, Moffi, Onyedika
Lineups are out!
16:02 , Ben Fleming
Team news coming shortly
15:55 , Ben Fleming
Just five minutes to go until the team news hits – will star striker Victor Osimhen be fit to play?
We’ll find out shortly…
Last time out for Nigeria
15:45 , Ben Fleming
Nigeria were the first side to book a semi-final berth at the Africa Cup of Nations after Ademola Lookman’s first-half goal ensured a 1-0 win over Angola in the last eight.
Lookman finished off a flying run down the left by winger Moses Simon, who skipped the challenge of defender Kialonda Gaspar to break free and then teed up his team-mate for his third goal of the tournament.
Nigeria have now qualified for the semi-final in 13 of their last 15 Cup of Nations appearances and been elevated to the role of favourites at a tournament where almost all the heavyweight contenders have been dumped out.
Here’s how the Super Eagles came through their quarter-final clash
Nigeria embrace favourites tag to reach Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals
Nigeria handed unexpected chance to end generation of missed opportunities
15:35 , Ben Fleming
Rewind to the mid- and late-1990s and there was just one African nation widely expected to become the big challenger to European and South American countries on the international football landscape: Nigeria.
The Super Eagles reached the last 16 in both ‘94 and ‘98, the iconic team of Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi, later added to by Nwankwo Kanu, Taribo West and Celestine Babayaro. With a significant section of the latter squad aged 24 and under, it seemed they should only go from strength to strength, particularly after winning the Africa Cup of Nations in ‘94 as well.
It didn’t quite happen that way.
Nigeria withdrew from the following Afcon after Sani Abacha’s coup d’etat, then were banned from the ‘98 edition as a consequence. It was 19 years until they won their next (and so far last) Afcon and – more notably perhaps – it is now a full quarter of a century since France ‘98, during which time they have won matches on just two further occasions at World Cup finals.
Nigeria handed unexpected chance to end generation of missed opportunities
Nigeria vs South Africa betting tips
15:25 , Ben Fleming
Nigeria and South Africa face off for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations final in their last four clash at the Stade de la Paix on Wednesday (5pm, BBC Two, Sky Sports Main Event).
Nigeria have history on their side as they seek to win their fourth Afcon title, last lifting the championship in 2013. South Africa have gone 28 years without winning the tournament, and last qualified for the final in 1998 where they lost to Egypt.
Football betting sites have installed Nigeria as 8/13 favourites for the win, but you can find a price of 13/2 for Bafana Bafana to spring a surprise and dump the Super Eagles out.
Here are our predictions for the first Afcon semi-final.
Nigeria vs South Africa predictions: Africa Cup of Nations betting tips, odds and free bets
Nigeria vs South Africa – early team news
15:15 , Ben Fleming
Former Everton and Fulham player Ademola Lookman has starred in the knockout stages so far with three goals and looks set to start again.
Victor Osimhen was taken off late against Angola, which could have been an injury, but he is in with a chance of starting on Wednesday.
South Africa are expected to largely stick with the same side that has got them into the last four.
We’ll have confirmed team news in about 45 minutes.
Nigeria vs South Africa – key things to know
15:05 , Ben Fleming
When is it?
Nigeria vs South Africa will kick off at 5 pm GMT on Wednesday 7 February 2024 at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
How can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on BBC Two with coverage starting at 4.30 pm GMT as well as Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League.
The game can also be streamed live via the BBC Sport website and iPlayer website and app, while Sky subscribers can watch the match live via the Sky Go app.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Good afternoon
14:24 , Ben Fleming
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash between Nigeria and South Africa.
Nigeria now look to the bookies’ favourites after a host of shock departures early in the tournament. And the Super Eagles continued their superb defensive record as they eased past Angola in the quarter-final.
South Africa, meanwhile, have been one of the surprises of the tournament and reached the final four for the first time in almost a quarter of a century after a penalty shootout victory over Cape Verde.
Is there another shock in store? Stay tuned for all the build-up, team news and match updates!
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