South Africa Shocks Nigeria to Reach U17 AFCON Final
South Africa secured a historic 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Wednesday to become the first team to qualify for the final of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Niger 2015.
The semi-final clash at Seyni Kountché Stadium in Niamey saw the Amajimbos, who had finished second in Group B behind Mali, produce a solid performance to edge past the Golden Eaglets. Despite being the favorites, Nigeria struggled to find their rhythm early on, while South Africa seized the opportunity.
The match’s only goal came in the 27th minute. A cross from the right wing was mishandled by Nigerian defender Awal, whose misdirected clearance allowed South Africa’s Eric Mayo to calmly slot the ball past the goalkeeper, giving the Amajimbos a crucial lead.
Nigeria, under the guidance of coach Emmanuel Amunike, dominated possession after the break, but they were unable to break down South Africa’s defense. Kelechi Nwakali, the tournament’s top scorer with three goals, failed to find the back of the net despite several attempts. On the other hand, South Africa could have doubled their lead when Nelson Maluleke squandered a golden opportunity to make it 2-0.
With four minutes of added time, Nigeria pushed forward desperately but was unable to equalize, and South Africa held firm to secure their spot in the final.
The Amajimbos will now await the outcome of Thursday’s semi-final between Mali and Guinea to determine their final opponent. Nigeria, meanwhile, will face the loser of the Mali-Guinea match in the third-place play-off.
