Nigeria are up against bitter foes South Africa for a place in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in what is a repeat of the semi-final clash between both sides 24 years ago. The Super Eagles won that game 2-0 as co-hosts of the 2000 tournament, needing a brace from Tijani Babangida to seal a final tie with Cameroon – which they lost on penalties.
But two decades later, the Bafana Bafana are eyeing revenge against Nigeria when both sides square off on Wednesday evening in Cote d’Ivoire. Since that semi-final triumph, Nigeria have defeated South Africa twice in the competition. The first was a 4-0 spanking in a group stage match in the 2004 edition before seeing them off five years ago in Egypt in 2019.
En route to Wednesday’s game, Coach Hugo Broos tutored South Africa got out of the group stage with four points. But they have grown into the competition, winning tournament favourites Morocco in the round of 16 before squeezing through giant killers Cape Verde.
For Nigeria, the story is almost similar except that they have not lost a match in Cote d’Ivoire. Written off before kickoff, the Super Eagles reached the knockouts after bagging seven points. They later dispatched rivals Cameroon and Angola in the quarter-final to make the last four.
