Penalties are never a straight forward thing, and in Wednesday’s semi-final vs South Africa, Super Eagles’ Ola Aina could have very much become the night’s villain had his penalty miss led to a different outcome for Nigeria.
Following a tense semi-final showdown against South Africa, the Super Eagles of Nigeria left-back expressed gratitude to his teammates for rallying around him after his penalty miss.
The Super Eagles secured their spot in the AFCON 2023 final after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over their South African counterparts.
In a match characterized by defensive prowess from both sides, it came as no surprise that regulation and extra time ended with a 1-1 deadlock, necessitating the decisive penalty shootout.
With both nations boasting strong defensive records throughout the tournament, the stage was set for a dramatic conclusion.
Ultimately, it was the heroics of Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwanbali that proved pivotal, as he made two crucial saves during the penalty shootout.