Who: Nigeria vs South Africa
What: CAF AFCON 2023 semifinal
When: Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 17:00 GMT
The place: Stade Bouake, Ivory Coast
Nigeria have a serious concern over the health of African Footballer of the 12 months Victor Osimhen forward of the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal with South Africa on Wednesday.
The Tremendous Eagles striker missed the squad’s flight from Abidjan to Bouake on Monday after complaining of stomach discomfort.
Earlier than that, the 25-year-old had been ever current for his aspect on the event and has scored 21 targets in 32 worldwide appearances.
“Group medics confirmed that he has been positioned beneath shut watch with a member of the medical workforce staying behind in Abidjan with him,” Nigeria mentioned on Tuesday on the social media platform X.
“He’ll be a part of the remainder of the squad earlier than 5pm, if cleared by tomorrow [Wednesday] morning.”
Members of the workforce traveled from Abidjan to Bouaké at this time by way of a 10pm Air Cote D’Ivoire flight. Osimhen didn’t nonetheless make the journey on account of an stomach discomfort. Group medics confirmed that he has been positioned beneath shut watch with a member of the medical workforce staying… pic.twitter.com/G39LqaKcVA
— 🇳🇬 Tremendous Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) February 5, 2024
Osimhen, who was the main scorer in Serie A final season with champions Napoli, has scored solely as soon as in 5 matches up to now on the event.
His efficiency and work price, nonetheless, had been praised as “incredible” by his coach Jose Peseiro after the 2-0 round of 16 victory against Cameroon.
Peseiro added that the striker’s capacity off the ball is simply as prolific as his goal-scoring capacity.
“No one can win a match alone – everybody has to play – however he is an efficient instance,” the coach mentioned.
That is Nigeria’s record-equaling sixteenth semifinal look of their twentieth AFCON event.
Solely seven-time champion Egypt has performed as many semifinals though the Pharaohs have performed in 26 tournaments.
Wednesday’s sport in opposition to the Bafana Bafana is a repeat of the semifinal in 2000 when Nigeria gained 2-0 in Lagos.
Nigeria gained the final of its three titles in 2013 whereas South Africa’s solely win got here in 1996.
𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙀𝙈𝙄-𝙁𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙎! 🔥
4 groups. One goal. ✨#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/YGNyqzUsDc
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 3, 2024
South Africa have grown into the event after a gap 2-0 defeat in opposition to Mali within the group stage.
Bafana Bafana completed second of their group due to a goalless draw with Tunisia of their ultimate match, which eradicated the 2004 finalists.
Event favourites Morocco were overcome in the round of 16. South African coach Hugo Broos admitted that one other victory, the quarterfinal win on penalties against Cape Verde, was his aspect’s worst efficiency on the event as he believed nerves obtained the higher of the gamers.
Broos himself isn’t any stranger to AFCON success and does seem to have the Midas contact on the competitors.
The previous Belgium worldwide gained the continental title with Cameroon in 2017, taking a aspect given little likelihood earlier than the beginning all the best way to the winners podium and now, seven years later, has led equally unfancied South Africa to the final 4.
Earlier than the event, Broos, who was handed a five-year contract in 2021, had gained 11 of twenty-two video games and, after initially utilizing gamers solely beneath 26 to rebuild the aspect, was compelled to desert these plans when the kids weren’t delivering.
However his Cup of Nations report is spectacular even when the statistics belie some fortunate escapes.
His Cameroon aspect reached the knockout stage in 2017 solely after a superb last-gasp save by younger goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa denied hosts Gabon the winner after they struck the submit within the final minute.
Cameroon went on to edge Senegal within the quarterfinals on penalties after which beat Ghana and Egypt to win the title.
After Bafana Bafana superior to the semifinals, Broos’s Cup of Nations report now reads 5 wins and 5 attracts with a single loss in 11 video games over the 2 editions.
South Africa had been lucky to see off Cape Verde on Saturday when goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made an astonishing collection of saves within the post-match shootout. The stopper additionally pushed a late Blue Sharks effort onto the bar within the dying seconds of regular time.
Many believed the spherical of 16 match-up between Osimhen and Cameroon and Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was going to be one of many highlights of the event. Onana, although, was benched for the second consecutive sport.
All of Nigeria and all neutrals all over the world will probably be hoping a face-off between Williams and Osimhen just isn’t additionally denied by the latter’s medical issues.
Our first coaching session in Bouake, at Lycee Method. Semi ultimate loading… #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #AfCON2023 #BafanaPride pic.twitter.com/HmoomTmXTE
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) February 5, 2024
Type
Nigeria stay unbeaten on the event after their win in opposition to Ivory Coast together with two attracts within the group stage.
Cameroon had been overcome 2-0 within the spherical of 16 whereas Angola had been seen off 1-0 within the quarterfinals, which implies the Tremendous Eagles haven’t conceded a aim since their event opening draw with Equatorial Guinea.
Equally South Africa’s power has been their defence, and so they too haven’t conceded since their opening loss to Mali.
The penalty win in opposition to Cape Verde within the quarterfinals can have put quite a lot of fatigue into the Bafana Bafana our bodies, particularly after the momentous win in opposition to Morocco within the spherical of 16
Nigeria: D W D W W
South Africa: D W D W W
Nigeria workforce information
Osimhen’s stomach criticism overshadows the build-up to the semifinal, and will probably be all eyes on the Tremendous Eagles striker to see if and when he departs Abidjan to hyperlink up with the squad in Bouake.
Predicted XI: Nwabali, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey, Aina, Onyeka, Iwobi, Sanusi, Simon, Lookman, Osimhen
South Africa workforce information
South Africa don’t have any new damage complaints going into the semifinal. Fatigue will probably be their biggest concern after the victory on penalties in opposition to Cape Verde. Whether or not that influences Broos to make any modifications stays to be seen.
Predicted XI: Williams, Mudau, Kekana, Mvala, Modiba, Mokoena, Sithole, Morena, Zwane, Tau, Makgopa
