With a place in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations up for grabs, two African heavyweights stepped up to trade tackles and seal a spot.
The National Football team of Nigeria nicknamed the Super Eagles went to battle with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
It was a game that brought out flair from the South Africans who dominated the early exchanges and indeed for most of the first half.
Bafana Bafana created chances but were unable to convert their chances as Nigeria who surprisingly were not as enterprising as they have been since the start of the tournament.
The first half ended with either side searching for the opener.
The second half started with renewed vigour from the Super Eagles as they started working the flanks and created a couple of chances even as Bafana Bafana stood firm in their resolve to edge the Super Eagles.
It wasn’t until the 67th minute that Nigeria took the lead from the penalty spot. Reigning African Player of the year Victor Osihmen was fouled in the eighteen yard box of South Africa and penalty was rightly awarded to Nigeria which was calmly converted by the Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong.
The lead forced the South Africans forward as they went in search of the equalizer.
They finally got their chance but not without some VAR drama.
Nigeria thought they had sealed victory after Victor Osihmen scored the second goal from a quick counter-attack but VAR overruled the goal after Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf was adjudged to have committed a foul just margins of the penalty area.
The resultant penalty after VAR check was expertly converted by Teboho Mokena in the 90th minute which took the game into extra time.
One goal apiece it ended after regulation time.
The scoreline remained the same after 120 minutes of football and went straight into penalties.
The shootout saw Nigeria edge South Africa 4-2 to book a place in the final of the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
But the real story of the Night was that of a daring Nigerian, the goalkeeper, who prior to the start of the tournament was largely unknown. Stanley Nwabali, who plays his Football coincidentally in the South African Premier League for Chippa United was outstanding in the shootout. His heroics have earned him a place in the annals of football folklore in Africa and the hearts of millions of Nigerians.
From the populous city of Kano to the capital Abuja and in the commercial capital, Lagos, Stanley Nwabali’s name will ring loud and true in the hearts and minds of millions of crazy football-loving Nigerians.
Stories of his heroics will adorn the sports pages of tabloids across Africa tomorrow at the crack of dawn like a freshly cut flower vase sitting pretty on the shelf.
Indeed, two heavyweights stepped on the pitch for a place in the final and Nigeria’s Super Eagles got the blessings of the gods of football to proceed to the final and stake a claim for a fourth AFCON title.
History will be kind to this set of Super Eagles for the show of grit and character that have been on display all through the tournament.
There’s a campaign slogan in Nigeria for the Super Eagles at this year’s AFCON – ‘ Let’s do it again ‘ …. indeed, will they do it again?
— Israel Eferobor writes from Lagos, Nigeria.