Adedokun Waliyu 
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria defeated Bafana Bafana of South Africa on penalties in the semi-final at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Wednesday.
Both teams played out a one-all draw through the regular period and extra time before the Eagles triumphed 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
The match was a record 15th semi-final AFCON semi-final appearance for the Super Eagles, and it was a nervy encounter that pushed them to the breaking point.
Victor Osimhen was only announced fit on the eve of the match after suffering abdominal discomfort. However, another injury forced Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, to make a change to his regular starting line-up. Bright Osayi-Samuel came in for injured Zaidu Sanusi at the back.
Nigeria started with a 3-4-3 formation, which was mirrored by Hugo Broos, the Bafana Bafana head coach, and the Eagles struggled in the early stage of the game.
The backline of William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey initially struggled to curtail the speed and positional awareness of Percy Tau and Evidence Makgopa.
Stanley Nwabali was forced to make a sterling save after Makgopa spun on the edge of the box and aimed a curler into the top corner.
But Nigeria scored the first goal of the game. Mothobi Mvala brought down Osimhen in the South African goal area in the 65th minute. Troost-Ekong made no mistake from the resultant penalty.
A brief moment of madness swung the game Bafana Bafana’s way deep in the second half. Osimhen was wheeling away in celebration of a goal he thought he had scored when a VAR review zoomed on a foul by Alhassan Yusuf on Percy Tau in the Nigerian box during the leadup to the goal. Nigerians were brought to despair from the brink of delight as a penalty was awarded to South Africa.
Teboho Mokoena sent Nwabali the wrong way from the spot-kick. The game crawled into extra time and a penalty shootout eventually.
Mokoena missed his kick, while Nwabali saved Makgopa’s before Kelechi Iheanacho sent Nigeria to the AFCON final.
