5 interesting facts about delayed 2023 AFCON semi-finalists
7th February 2024
Ivory Coast, DR Congo, South Africa and Nigeria are the remaining teams fighting to lift the title.
- South Africa’s Bafana Bafana is scheduled to battle it out with title favorites Nigeria at 8 PM East African time in the first clash of the day.
- Hosts Ivory Coast will then lock horns with a strong Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) at 11 PM.
- The final will be played on Sunday 11 February.
The delayed 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament
is reaching the home stretch with two crunch semifinals slated for Wednesday,
February 7, 2024.
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana is scheduled to battle it out
with title favorites Nigeria at 8 PM East African time in the first clash of
the day.
Hosts Ivory Coast, who have made their fans feel every kind
of emotion, will then lock horns with a strong Democratic Republic of Congo (DR
Congo) at 11 PM.
Each of the four nations will give everything on the pitch
to book a place in Sunday, February 11’s final.
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With the excitement already building up in the atmosphere,
here are five interesting facts you ought to know about the four teams.
Previous AFCON winners
All of the four teams have had an opportunity to taste AFCON
glory in the past with the Super Eagles boasting of more titles. Nigeria won
their three titles in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
On the other hand, DR Congo have two titles under their belt
(1968 and 1974) with Cote D’Ivoire boasting of a similar number (1992 and
2015).
Underdogs South Africa have only managed to triumph at AFCON once, doing so at the 1996 edition which was played on their home soil.
ALSO READ: 4 records set at delayed 2023 AFCON ahead of crunch semifinals
South Africa’s first semifinal in over 20 years
Bafana Bafana had not made it to the last four at the AFCON
tournament since 2000 when they played Nigeria.
In that one-sided semifinal, Super Eagles hammered Bafana
Bafana 2 - 0 to book a place in the final against rivals Cameroon. The goals
came courtesy of Tijani Babangida.
However, hosts Nigeria were heartbroken when they lost to
the Indomitable Lions in a penalty shootout in the final which was staged at
the Lagos National Stadium.
ALSO READ: Nigeria vs South Africa battle for place in AFCON 2023 final
Second ever semi-final between RD Congo & Ivory Coast
The upcoming fixture will be the second semi-final ever
between Ivory Coast and DR Congo.
The last first meeting at this stage between the two nations
took place in 2015 where the Elephants of Ivory Coast proceeded to the final
after beating DR Congo 3 - 1.
South Africa has most local based players
South Africa has the most local-based players in the four
teams that have made it to the semifinals.
Almost their entire squad is made up of players who play up
in the domestic league including their skipper Ronwen Williams who is
contracted with Mamelodi Sundowns.
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DR Congo’s sixth semi-final in history
This will be DR Congo’s sixth semi-final since they made their debut in the tournament in 1965. The Leopards have previously featured in the last four at AFCON in 1968, 1974, 1972, 1998 and 2015.