- Ivory Coast beat Mali 2-1 with a goal in added time
- They had equalized in the 90th minute to send the game to extra time
- South Africa keeper Ronwen Williams was his side’s hero
Ivory Coast scored a stoppage time winner in extra time, as they rose from the dead to beat Mali 2-1 and qualify for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Bouake. Oumar Diakate flicked on a 122nd minute goal to send his country into the semis, in a tournament that they had looked dead and buried for most of it.
Les Elephants had earlier on equalized in normal time, scoring a 90th minute goal, through Simon Adingra, before the extra time drama.
Odilon Kossounou was sent off two minutes to the break for a second yellow, and it looked as though they would go on to suffer defeat infront of a fully packed stadium at home.
But, the drama didn’t stop there as once again, they scored late, Diakite winning the game in the second minute of added extra time and getting sent off for a second yellow for his celebrations.
Mali will have themselves to blame after failing to make the most of their numerical advantage, and also missed an early penalty.
They were handed a way into the lead after 16 minutes when Kossounou brought down Lacine Sinayoko inside the box, but Adama Traore saw his penalty saved.
Ivory Coast defender Kossounou sent off
Ivory Coast forward Adingra celebrates. PHOTO/CAF
Kossounou who had a nightmare start in the game was sent off in the 43rd minute for a second yellow card off a foul at the edge of the box with Mali seeing the resultant freekick fly inches wide.
In the second half, Mali knew they had to do something after missing a myriad of chances and failing to make the most of their numerical advantage.
They were saved from the blushes in the 71st minute when Ivory Coast-born Dorgeles Nene smashed the ball into the net with a sensational curling effort from the edge of the box.
But once again, just like it was against Senegal in the round of 16, Ivory Coast scored late on, Adingra smashing the ball into the net from close range after Seko Fofana’s shot was blocked.
The game was then forced into extra time and when it seemed penalties would decide the winner, the Ivorians once again scored late. Diakite flicked on a long range volleyed shot from Seko Fofana, to break the Malian hearts.
Williams is South Africa’s penalty hero
Keeper Ronwen Williams saves a penalty. PHOTO/CAF
In the late kick off, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made history, becoming the first ever keeper to save four penalties in a single shoot-out at the AFCON as South Africa’s Bafana Bafana edged out Cape Verde 2-1 on post-match spotkicks to make the semis.
The game was forced to penalties after a 0-0 stalemate in both regulation and extra time, and it was Williams who came off as the ultimate hero.
Williams saved all of Cape Verde’s first three penalties from Bebe, Willy Semedo and Laros Duarte. On the other end, Mokoena scored the first for Bafana, but Zakhele Lepasa and Aubrey Modiba missed.
Bryan Teixeira then scored Cape Verde’s fourth to level the kicks, but Mothobi Mvala scored to take the advantage back to South Africa. For the last kick, Patrick Andrade stepped up, and Williams made a sensational save to win the game for Bafana.
It had been a tight, tactical game with few chances. Teboho Mokoena tried his luck early on in the first half with a shot from range which flew straight into the keeper’s arms while on the other end, Rocha Santos had an effort on the volley fly inches wide.
South Africa survive Cape Verde chances
South Africa celebrate. PHOTO/CAF
In the second half, Cape Verde had a brilliant chance when Garry Rodrigues broke through on goal one on one with the keeper, but he couldn’t execute a good shot as he fired the ball straight to Williams.
Jovane also had a chance with a volley from inside the box off a cross on the right but he fired it over.
Williams then made a superb save at the stroke of halftime, another ball delivered behind the defense this time to Benchimol whose volley was pushed to the bar by the South African goalie.
In extra trime, South Africa had two clear chance but Mihlali Mayambela and Evidence Makgopa both had their efforts blocked from close range.
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