South Africa secured third place at the Africa Cup of Nations after a thrilling penalty shootout win against DR Congo. The match, held at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, ended in a goalless draw after 90 minutes of tense play.
In the penalty shootout, South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena hit the post with the first kick, but both teams managed to score their next three penalties. The shootout intensified when South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made crucial saves to keep his team in contention. Williams’s heroics included saving Chancel Mbemba’s penalty and later denying Meschak Elia to secure victory for South Africa.
The match itself was characterized by strong defensive displays from both teams, with neither side able to break the deadlock in normal time. South Africa had previously been taken to a shootout in their semi-final loss to Nigeria, while DR Congo suffered a narrow defeat to Ivory Coast.
This victory marks South Africa’s best finish in the tournament since 2000, and they now look forward to building on this success in future competitions.
Meanwhile, the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations champion will be determined on Sunday when hosts Ivory Coast face Nigeria in Abidjan.
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