AFCON: Hosts South Africa knocked out

Hosts South Africa are knocked out of the African Nations Cup after losing a penalty shootout 3-1 to Mali after their quarter-final ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time on Saturday.

South Africa's fate was virtually sealed after penalties by Dean Furman and May Mahlangu were saved by Mali goalkeeper Soumbeyla Diakite.

With South Africa trailing 3-1 in the shootout Lehlohonolo Majoro blasted wide from the spot giving victory to Mali who will face Ivory Coast or Nigeria in the semi-finals.

true
Mali's captain Seydou Keita celebrates with his teammates following their victory. PHOTO/Reuters

Cheick Diabate, Adama Tamboura and Mahamane Traore all scored for Mali after Siphiwe Tshabalala netted South Africa's first penalty.

The hosts had taken a deserved lead after 31 minutes when the Mali defence failed to stop Mahlangu feeding Thuso Phala whose mis-hit shot landed at Tokelo Rantie's foot for him to fire in from close range.

Mali equalised after 58 minutes when Samba Sow surged forward and found Mahamadou Samassa wide on the left.

His perfect cross was met by the unmarked Seydou Keita whose header hit goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune but was powerful enough to carry over the line and into the back of the net.

Fans silenced

South Africa Coach Gordon Igesund may have been put under enormous pressure by the domestic media but the stress did not appear to affect his side in a first half which they largely dominated.

Although Keita had the first chance for Mali and their fullback Tamboura went close with a cross-shot after a thundering run, South Africa looked the better team and their opening goal looked on its way for a while before it arrived.

true
Tokelo Rantie kisses the ground to celebrate the first goal of the game. PHOTO/Reuters

The noise at the Moses Madhiba Stadium was deafening with the virtually sold-out stadium full of home fans in replica shirts but they fell silent when Keita equalised after 58 minutes.

Mali shaded the rest of normal time but neither team created many more opportunities and there was an air of inevitability about the game going into extra time.

The additional half-hour was also devoid of goalmouth action leading to the shootout which Mali won to set up a semi-final against either Ivory Coast or Nigeria. 

 Wakaso double ends Cape Verde fairytale

Ghana stayed on course for their fifth African Nations Cup title when substitute Mubarak Wakaso scored twice to sink surprise packages Cape Verde Islands 2-0 in a fiercely contested quarter-final on Saturday.

Wakaso came on for Albert Adomah just after halftime and he broke the deadlock with a 54th-minute penalty before ending the fairytale run of the islanders with another goal deep in stoppage time.

His second effort came from a breakaway after Cape Verde keeper Vozinha had gone up field for a setpiece in desperate search for an equaliser.

Ghana cleared their lines and Wakaso ran almost 60 metres as chasing defenders tried to catch him before he slid the ball into the empty net.

The Ghana players and supporters went wild with delight at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium after their side had been given a stiff test by the islanders, featuring in the finals for the first time and the smallest nation to play in the tournament.

true
Ghana's goalscorer Mubarak Wakaso celebrates after the final whistle. PHOTO/Reuters

 The one moment of controversy came when the penalty was harshly awarded by referee Rajinjapasad Seechurn of Mauritius.

He ruled that defender Carlitos, whose cousin Nani plays for Manchester United, had felled Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan with an unfair shoulder charge as they challenged for the ball.

Lucio Antunes, Cape Verde's charismatic coach who will now return to his day job as an air traffic controller, told reporters: "We cannot complain about the referee's decisions...we did not complain in our first three matches.

"But while I respect his country, is it right that a referee from Mauritius should be in charge of such a big match as an African Nations Cup quarter-final?".

Antunes, a close friend of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, summed up the match in a manner not unfamiliar to the outspoken Portuguese.

Beautiful game

"We have just watched a beautiful game of football but the best team lost. The best team in the competition is now going home so the tournament will lose a little of its shine," said the Cape Verde coach.

"But I congratulate Ghana. Although we were the better team they got the goals so it was a fair result. And really, who would want to see a semi-final between Togo or Burkina Faso and Cape Verde? There would be 200 people there.

"The tournament needs big teams like Ghana at the end," added Antunes.

Gyan said the penalty proved to be the turning point in the match.

"We expected a difficult game and Cape Verde certainly gave us one," said the striker. "They are tactically disciplined and get behind the ball well.

"The first half was a bit frustrating and they played better than us in the second half but the penalty was the key to winning. It put us on top and opened up the match.

true
Cape Verde's Heldon reacts as Ghana's Christian Atsu consoles him after the game. PHOTO/Reuters

"Now we have to correct our mistakes and improve for the semi-final," added Gyan who is hoping his side can land the title for the first time in 31 years.

The introduction of Wakaso, who was suspended for Ghana's game against Niger on Monday, certainly had an impact.

He made no mistake with his penalty, lashing the ball down the middle while keeper Vozinha leapt to his left.

Cape Verde tried to rally and had a chance to equalise within a minute when Heldon's shot went narrowly wide.

Platini also went close for the islanders when he was denied by an acrobatic save from Fatau Dauda who then did even better to thwart Djaniny in the closing minutes.

Earlier, there was nothing to choose between the teams in a first half in which both sides played some good football in midfield without producing a single shot on target.

Ghana though had a little more pace and a little more experience than Cape Verde and now face the winners of Sunday's tie between Burkina Faso and Togo in next Wednesday's semi-final in Nelspruit.

Reuters