Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties in the shootout to guide his side to a 4-2 victory over South Africa following a 1-1 draw on Wednesday and earn a place in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Nigeria had lost five of their previous six semifinals at the continental finals but survived some nervous moments to book a place in Sunday’s decider against either hosts Ivory Coast or the Democratic Republic of Congo, who meet later on Wednesday.
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William Troost-Ekong put Nigeria into the lead from the penalty spot midway through the second half, before South Africa earned a spot-kick of their own in the final minute of the 90 and it was converted by Teboho Mokoena.
The penalty had been awarded after Victor Osimhen thought he had scored to put Nigeria 2-0 ahead but the referee was called over to the pitch-side monitor by VAR and instead awarded a penalty to South Africa for an earlier foul.
South Africa lost defender Grant Kekana to a red card in extra time as Nigeria put them under constant pressure, and then lost their nerve too in the shootout as Nwabali saved from Mokoena and Evidence Makgopa.
