Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering sports and football.
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire - A pleasant day to you and welcome to Legit.ng's coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 semifinal match featuring the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Stade Bouake in Ivory Coast.
The outcome of today's (Wednesday, February 7) game culminates in the final on Sunday, February 11.
Both teams have battled it out a couple of times at AFCON, with the Super Eagles edging South Africa 2-1 in the quarterfinals when they last met at the 2019 tournament in Egypt.
Kindly refresh the page for fresh updates.
Feb 07 11:35 PM
Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Nigeria beat South Africa in the semifinals of the AFCON 2023 on Wednesday, February 7.
The victory prompted celebrations in Nigeria.
Feb 07 8:50 PM
Leicester City forward, Iheanacho, scores Nigeria's last penalty to send the final of the AFCON 2023.
Iheanacho beat Williams in goal for the South Africans with a fantastic kick.
4-2 it ends in Bouake!
Feb 07 8:48 PM
Bafana Bafana scores.
It's 3-2 now after the South African player picks his spot well.
Feb 07 8:47 PM
Ekong scores.
Nigeria on the brink. 3-1 to the Super Eagles.
Feb 07 8:46 PM
Nwabali saves a South Africa kick.
Makgopa distraught. Nigeria stil leads.
Feb 07 8:46 PM
Aina missed Nigeria's third kick.
Feb 07 8:45 PM
Bafana Bafana scores their first penalty. It's 2-1 now.
Feb 07 8:44 PM
Omeruo scores for Nigeria. Super Eagles leads 2-0.
Feb 07 8:43 PM
Mokoena misses for South Africa.
Feb 07 8:41 PM
Moffi goes first for Nigeria.
He scores.
Feb 07 8:38 PM
The referee sounds his final whistle. The match goes to penalties.
At this point, it is a nervy moment for everybody.
Feb 07 8:36 PM
Bright Osayi-Samuel comes off with 2013 AFCON winner, Kenneth Omeruo coming on.
Perhaps, coach Peseiro made the change with penalties in sight.
Feb 07 8:29 PM
South Africa are one man down.
Nigerian attacker, Moffi, is fouled just from outside the box.
The referee checks VAR and issued a red card to Grant Kekana. About 5 minutes remaining in this match.
Feb 07 8:23 PM
Super Eagles coach, Peseiro, brings off Osimhen.
Terem Moffi of OGC Nice replaces the Serie A star.
Feb 07 8:20 PM
Second half of extra time is on.
A quality delivery from Ola Aina is met by Osimhen, but the striker couldn't convert his header into a goal.
Feb 07 8:17 PM
It is the end of the first half of extra-time.
Still 1-1, through 105 minutes.
Feb 07 8:12 PM
Peseiro has further tweaked his team.
The Portuguese tactician brings on Kelechi Iheanacho and Joe Aribo.
Frank Onyeka and Lookman come off.
Feb 07 8:04 PM
The extra-time of the first semifinal game at AFCON 2023 has started.
It is Nigeria's first extra-time taste in the tournament, but not South Africa's.
It has been a very tough game for both teams, and you have to give it to them.
Feb 07 7:58 PM
It's full-time in Bouake.
The game goes into extra-time.
Feb 07 7:56 PM
Mokoena tries a free-kick from about 30 yards out. Nwabali saves well, and a South African player blazes over.
The South African bench in disbelief.
Feb 07 7:50 PM
Bafana Bafana have equalised.
Teboho Mokoena scores from the spot. 1-1 now. And it's 90 minutes on the clock.
Feb 07 7:45 PM
Dramatic scenes in Bouake as Osimhen scores via a good team move but the video assistant referee (VAR) calls the referee to check a Nigerian foul.
The referee gives a penalty to the South Africans.
Feb 07 7:40 PM
The teams have gone for another cooling break.
75 minutes on the clock.
Feb 07 7:37 PM
Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, makes his first change.
Two players come off.
Feb 07 7:35 PM
Makgopa with a good chance in the 74th minute, but his shot slightly whistled off Nwabali's post.
The South Africans are still behind.
Feb 07 7:25 PM
Troost-Ekong takes the resultant penalty and scores.
Nigeria had been a side on the ascendancy in this second half.
Interim captain, Troost-Ekong, puts the ball straight down the middle — the same strategy he deployed when he converted from 12 yards against host, Ivory Coast. 67 minutes on the clock, and Nigeria leads.
Feb 07 7:23 PM
The Nigerian starman, Osimhen, has won a penalty for his side.
Osimhen was fouled in the box, with the referee having no option but to point to the spot.
Feb 07 7:21 PM
Coach Peseiro has decided to make the first change of the match.
Simon Moses and Alex Iwobi are off while Alhassan Yusuf and Samuel Chukwueze are on.
Feb 07 7:04 PM
The second half is underway in Bouake.
The Super Eagles made a lively start but were well-contained by the South Africans.
Feb 07 6:49 PM
Egyptian official, Amin Mohamed Omar, blows the whistle for the end of the first half of the encounter.
It is still a stalemate in Bouaké.
Feb 07 6:42 PM
Super Eagles shot-stopper, Stanley Nwabali, makes a good save from a goal attempt from Evidence Makgopa.
Nwabali parries the ball for a corner to the Bafana Bafana.
Feb 07 6:31 PM
Both teams have gone for a cooling break — after 30 minutes of play.
The result of the AFCON 2023 knockout match is still goalless, with Bafana Bafana looking the more dangerous side.
South Africa have had shots on target but none has proven venomous.
Feb 07 6:23 PM
Nigeria's Frank Onyeka was brought down in a dangerous area.
Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong are options to take the ball. Lookman takes the ball, but the attack, tame, was easily saved by South Africa's goalkeeper, Rowen Williams.
Feb 07 6:04 PM
Victor Osimhen, who was carried off on a stretcher during Nigeria's 1-0 victory over Angola with abdominal pain and was a doubt for this last-four clash, clutched his stomach.
The Napoli man suffered the discomfort after a Super Eagles attack.
However, minutes later, the 25-year-old carried on.
Feb 07 6:01 PM
The Nigeria vs South Africa AFCON 2023 match has kicked off.
The Super Eagles, playing in their traditional green, got us underway.
Feb 07 5:57 PM
The competing teams are out on the pitch, with the national anthem of both teams recited.
Nigeria's anthem was sung first; then the Bafana Bafana.
Feb 07 5:53 PM
Nigeria versus South Africa match can be streamlived via AfroSport TV.
Check out the Facebook link here.
Feb 07 5:27 PM
South Africa’s starting XI: Williams (goalkeeper, captain), Kekana, Zulu, Mvala, Modiba, Mokoena, Zwane, Sithole, Mudau, Makgopa, Tau.
Feb 07 5:24 PM
Coach Jose Peseiro has named his starting XI for the AFCON 2023 semifinal match against South Africa.
The Super Eagles boss fielded a strong team which included reigning African football king, Victor Osimhen.
Authors:Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng and a certified journalist with over 9 years of experience. He edited Politics Nigeria's articles, was the Acting Editor of AllNews Nigeria and Fact-Checking Researcher (Africa Check). He received his HND in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic Ibadan. He received a Certificate of Achievement (Journalism Clinic’s Fix The Leak masterclass, 2021) and also completed Google News Initiative's Advance digital reporting curriculum. Contact him at ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.
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