Today, South Africa and Nigeria will face off in one of the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire. The other semi-final will be between the host nation, Ivory Coast, and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have soared through the tournament unbeaten, showcasing their prowess with a string of impressive performances. Despite a relatively lackluster start with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria has since been unstoppable, clinching victory after victory. Their journey to the semi-finals marks a record 15th appearance in this stage of the competition.
On the other side of the pitch, the Bafana Bafana of South Africa have made a remarkable resurgence in AFCON 2023. With a steely defense and swift counterattacks, South Africa has stunned opponents, securing a spot in the semi-finals for the first time since 2000. Their solid defensive record, characterized by four consecutive clean sheets, underscores their determination and resilience on the field.
Read more: Messi’s Argentina Set to Face Nigeria and Ivory Coast in March for China Tour Friendlies
Facts and Figures
Here are some interesting facts and figures about the upcoming match:
● This will be the fourth time Nigeria and South Africa meet at the Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria has won all three previous encounters with a total score of 8-1.
● The last time Nigeria and South Africa met in the semi-finals was in 2000, with Nigeria winning 2-0 thanks to Tijani Babangida’s two goals.
● Nigeria is playing in their record 15th semi-final at the Africa Cup of Nations. However, they have only progressed from one of their last six semi-finals. They won the competition in South Africa in 2013.
● Nigeria has won their last four AFCON games without conceding a goal. They have a chance to keep five consecutive clean sheets, something they haven’t done since 1982.
● South Africa is playing in their fourth semi-final at the Africa Cup of Nations and their first since 2000 when they were eliminated by Nigeria.
● South Africa has kept four consecutive clean sheets in the competition, which is a big improvement compared to their previous 21 matches.
● Nigeria has only had three different goal scorers in AFCON 2023, their fewest in a single edition since 2008.
● South Africa has had six shots following a high turnover, second only to Egypt. They have also had many direct attacks, only surpassed by Morocco.
● Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen has attempted the most shots in the tournament but has only scored one goal. He has the biggest difference between his expected goals and actual goals.
● Nigeria has the highest expected goals tally and the most big chances in AFCON 2023. All of their goals have come from inside the box.
● Themba Zwane has been directly involved in 50% of South Africa’s goals in AFCON 2023. He has the chance to become the first player from his team to score three goals in a single edition since 2000.
- Tags: AFCON, Osimhen, South Africa, Super Eagles
