The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023, has reached a fever pitch, with the semifinal line-up officially confirmed after Nigeria, DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, and South Africa secured their respective places.
Bafana Bafana will face old-time rivals Nigeria in the first semifinal on Wednesday, 7th February, in a repeat of the 2000 semifinal that saw the Super Eagles overcome the 1996 champions 2-0 in Lagos.
Nigeria chases their fourth title while South Africa looks to secure their second, in what has been an elusive goal for them.
The Super Eagles emerged victorious against Bafana Bafana in the quarterfinals in the 2019 edition in Egypt with a narrow 2-1 win, after their 2000 semifinal defeat.
With 14 previous meetings between the two sides, the Super Eagles have a lion’s share of the results with 7 victories against 2 for South Africa, with the remaining 5 ending in stalemates.
The clash between the two sides adds another chapter to the rich history books of African football, with Bafana Bafana now under the guidance of two former African champions against a star-studded Super Eagles side.
Hugo Broos, the TotalEnergies AFCON 2017-winning coach, leads the Southern African side, assisted by Helman Mkhalele, a key member of the 1996 golden generation that lifted South Africa’s first and only African title.
The match promises to be an uphill battle for the South African side in containing an explosive Super Eagles side led by the dangerous Victor Osimhen and the red-hot Ademola Lookman.
The encounter is scheduled to kick off at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Wednesday at 17:00.
