South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams saved four penalties in the post-match shootout against the Cabo Verde Islands to carry his country into the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 0-0 draw in their quarter-final on Saturday night.

Mothobi Mvala scored the decisive kick to make it 2-1 on penalties and win South Africa a semifinal place for the first time since 2000 but they were fortunate to get past Cabo Verde at Charles Konan Banny Stadium.

South Africa now take on Nigeria in Bouake in their semifinal on Wednesday.

It was a game full of missed opportunities but Cape Verde, who have a population of 600,000 but draw most of their players from a large diaspora in Europe, had most of the chances and were only denied a last-four place by the heroics of Williams.

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