Ivory Coast sink Mali, South Africa block Cape Verde to reach AFCON semi-finals
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Ivory Coast will now face Democratic Republic Congo while South Africa have the Nigeria challenge
BOUAKÉ/YAMOUSSOUKRO (AFP) – A back-heel goal by Oumar Diakite in added time at the end of extra time gave hosts Ivory Coast a 2-1 win over Mali in Bouake on Saturday after a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
On the other hand, Goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams was the hero with four saves in the shoot-out as South Africa beat Cape Verde 2-1 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Saturday after a goalless draw in their last-eight tie.
Reduced to 10 men by a red card at the end of the first half, the Ivorians fell behind in the second half to a Nene Dorgeles goal only for Simon Adingra to equalise in the 90th minute.
The result marked another upward turn for the Ivory Coast in a roller coaster AFCON campaign in which they scraped into the knockout stage after a 4-0 hiding from Equatorial Guinea.
It was a heart-breaking outcome for Mali, who dominated for long periods and, despite missing a penalty, seemed set to maintain a record of never losing a Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Ivory Coast now return to Abidjan, where they will face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday in the semi-finals, but Diakite is set to miss out after picking up a second yellow card while celebrating his winning goal.
"After this kind of match, there are no real things to explain, it is just emotions," said Diakite.
"My joy was so great that I forgot that I had a yellow card. It was a mistake on my part. Even if I am not there, we can do the job (reach the final)."
Odilon Kossounou, sent off late in the first half, captain Serge Aurier and forward Christian Kouame have also been ruled out of the semi-final due to suspensions.
This was the sixth meeting of the countries in the AFCON with the two-time champions Ivory Coast winning four and drawing one previously against rivals whose best showing was 1972 runners-up.
Ivory Coast caretaker coach Emerse Fae made three changes to the lineup that started in the dramatic last-16 penalty shootout triumph over defending champions Senegal.
In came midfielder Franck Kessie, scorer of the winning penalty, winger Nicolas Pepe and forwards Kouame in place of Ibrahim Sangare, Diakite and Jean-Philippe Krasso.
Mali had one enforced change to the team that defeated Burkina Faso to set up the west African showdown with Diadie Samassekou replacing ill Mohamed Camara in midfield.
Mali made light of the fact that the majority of the capacity 40,000 crowd in the central city were supporting the host nation and established early dominance.
The Eagles had an appeal for a penalty rejected after the ball struck the outstretched hand of Kossounou because there had been an earlier offside.
But when Kossounou fouled Lassine Sinayoko, the Egyptian referee pointed to the spot only for Adama 'Noss' Traore to have his 17th-minute penalty saved by Youssouf Fofana.
Ivory Coast were battling to create chances until just before half-time when Seko Fofana blazed over when offered a good chance just outside the area.
A troubled first half for Kossounou got worse on 44 minutes when shown a yellow card for the second time, after clipping Sinayoko, and was sent off.
Fae immediately brought on Wilfried Singo to bolster the defence with Pepe sacrificed, and Ivory Coast were lucky to still be level when the half ended.
Mali attacked continuously against 10 men and finally broke the deadlock when Dorgeles raced across the pitch and from just outside the D unleashed a shot that flew past Fofana.
Substitute Diakite came close to levelling, with his header from a corner finishing just off target.
Diakite was involved in the last-gasp equaliser with Adingra pouncing on a deflection off Boubakar Kouyate inside the area and hammering the ball past goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
Another Ivorian substitute, Sebastien Haller, headed against the crossbar in the first half of extra time.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN HERO
Williams had already come up with one vital stop at the end of normal time and the match went to penalties as it finished 0-0 after 120 minutes in Yamoussoukro.
He then produced a remarkable performance to keep out penalties by Bebe, Willy Semedo, Laros Duarte and Patrick Andrade as South Africa – who themselves failed to convert two spot-kicks – progressed to a last-four showdown with Nigeria on Wednesday.
"We were not lucky because we had a very good 'keeper today. If you can stop four penalties it is not luck anymore," said South Africa coach Hugo Broos.
"He did not only that, he also saved us two minutes before the end with a player who was alone in front of him, so yes he was man of the match. I think you could choose nobody else."
The 32-year-old Williams, of Mamelodi Sundowns, refused to accept all the credit for his heroics however, instead giving a nod to the South African backroom team.
"I give credit to the analysts. They prepare me, they cut so many videos. We study the clubs. I study them as well, I try to pick up trends," he said.
"My phone is full of penalty clips so it is credit to the analysts for doing the work because it is not easy to get footage of some of those players because they play all over the world."
South Africa go through to their first AFCON semi-final since what can be termed as their glory days, when they won the title as hosts in 1996, were runners-up in 1998 and then finished third in 2000.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde go home at the end of a campaign in which they won a Cup of Nations knockout tie for the first time, although they will regret their poor performance in the shoot-out after having the best chances during the match itself.
"I think in some way we deserved to be in the semi-finals," said their coach, Pedro 'Bubista' Brito.
"I am proud of my team. I think we have had an excellent campaign. We always played to attack, were well organised when we didn't have the ball, and showed that a small country like us can compete.
"The people of Cape Verde must be proud of what we have done."
Approaching the Charles Konan Banny Stadium along the deserted wide avenues of Ivory Coast's capital, it was hard to avoid the sensation that the main event was happening elsewhere, in Saturday's other quarter-final 100 kilometres further north in Bouake.
The stadium was almost entirely empty at kick-off although fans, many of them wearing the orange of Ivory Coast's national team, did start flooding in as the game went on.
Those who were absent at the beginning did not miss much, and it took until just after the hour mark for either team to have a clear opportunity.
The chance fell for Cape Verde, with Joao Paulo Fernandes playing in Garry Rodrigues, who could only shoot straight at Williams.
Jovane Cabral hooked a shot over from an inviting position in the 78th minute, and extra time began to feel inevitable.
Yet Cape Verde could have ended it before then when substitute Gilson Tavares Benchimol was played in, but his thunderous shot was tipped onto the underside of the bar by Williams.
It took South Africa until the second minute of extra time to seriously trouble Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper producing two fine saves from efforts at point-blank range in quick succession, first from Mihlali Mayambela, then from Evidence Makgopa.
Onto the penalties they went, and Williams made the difference.
