Semifinal defeat: Football hard nut to crack says Hugo Broos
As South Africa Coach Hugo Broos has admitted that football is not an easy not to crack even as he begins preparation for another cracker against Congo DR in the thiird place match on Saturday. The Belgian who has been with the South African team since 2021 confessed shortly after Nigeria edged his team to zoom into the finals of the 34th AFCON in Cote d Ivoire that football is indeed “hard”
South Africa gave a good account of themselves creating chances but were however difficult for them to convert. They only scored Nigeria via a penalty kick after a dramatic VAR check which canceled Victor Osimhen’s goal before awarding the spot-kick to the Bafana Bafana.
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Before the 90th-minute equalizer, the Super Eagles had taken the lead after the hour mark via a spot-kick from the boots of William Troost-Ekong.
After the regulation time and 30 minutes of extra time, the game was decided by a penalty shootout in which Eagles’ goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali saved two of Bafana Bafana’s four kicks.
After the game, South Africa’s head coach said: “Football can be hard; when you see the performance of my team today and then there are penalties and you lose the game! you’re not in the final, it’s hard to accept that because we played a very good game.
“So if we could score there, it’s us going to the final and not Nigeria, that can happen in football.”
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Broos Known for his composure and fighting spirit will now be hoping to deny Congo DR the third place position on Saturday.DR Congo who are two time AFCON Champions after winning in 1968 and 1974 lost to Ivory Coast in the second semifinal played Wednesday in Abidjan. The Congo;ese had shot into the lead but had the goal disallowed.They finished third place in 2015 when Ivory Coast last won the title but failed to qualify for the last edition in Cameroon.