Ronwen Williams made four saves as South Africa beat Cape Verde 2-1 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Saturday.
The Bafana Bafana goalkeeper also made a stunning stop at the end of normal time as the last-eight clash in Yamoussoukro ended goalless.
It was his fourth successive clean sheet in the tournament.
We are going to the Semi-finals !!!!!!!
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana)
Cape Verde created the most chances throughout the game but were unable to make the most of their opportunities and South Africa, the 1996 champions, will now play Nigeria for a place in the final.
The first half was a cagey affair with neither goalkeeper seriously tested.
Kevin Pina had an opportunity for Cape Verde but he…
Lionel Messi showed he doesn t care about money by turning down a hugely lucrative offer from Al Hilal to sign for Inter Miami, according to Hristo Stoichkov.
Messi confirmed his intention to join Miami in June, after it was announced he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.
The 36-year-old was officially unveiled as a Miami player on Sunday, and trained with his new team-mates – including Sergio Busquets – for the first time on Tuesday.
Al Hilal, one of the four Saudi Arabian clubs bankrolled by the Gulf state s Public Investment Fund (PIF), wanted to sign Messi, but former Barcelona star Stoichkov thinks the Argentine proved his priority is football, not cash.
We didn t play for money, we played for love, Stoichkov, who was one of B…
Jurgen Klopp is interested in signing Kylian Mbappe, but accepts Liverpool are not able to compete with Real Madrid for the Paris Saint-Germain forward s signature.
Mbappe is due to be out of contract with PSG next month and revealed last week he is close to making a decision over his future.
Madrid are the strong favourites to sign the France international, while a number of other clubs – Liverpool among them – have also been linked in the past.
According to reports from Spain this week, Liverpool made a late attempt to persuade Mbappe to make the switch to Anfield, rather than the Santiago Bernabeu.
But while Klopp is a fan of Mbappe, he insists Liverpool have no intention of attempting to sign the 23-year-old in the next window.
Of cours…
While PSG might be cruising their way to more domestic history this season, some real battles are going on at both ends of the Ligue 1 table.
As the race for a lucrative Champions League ticket appears to be going down to the wire, Sunday offers six Ligue 1 showdowns.
On a Sunday schedule that features the likes of PSG and Monaco, we have found a pair of French betting tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.
12:00 PSG vs Reims
While Luis Enrique might have found increasing scrutiny over his long-term future in the French capital this season, Sunday’s hosts are in the midst of a real purple patch. Opening this weekend’s fixtures holding a commanding nine-point buffer at the top of the Ligue 1 table and rightfully tipped as a landslide contender …
Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Alexander Isak from Premier League rivals Newcastle United in the summer transfer window but are unlikely to meet the asking price, according to . The report has claimed that Newcastle are open to cashing in on Isak at the end of the season and want as much as £100 million for the 24-year-old Sweden international striker, which Spurs are unlikely to pay.
Isak has been on the books of Newcastle since 2022 when he joined from Real Sociedad. The striker has been a success at St. James’ Park and is one of the first names on Eddie Howe’s teamsheet when he is fit and available. The Swede has made 45 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career. He has scored 25 goals and given two assists in those games.
Newcastle are…
Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman lauded incredible Lionel Messi as the superstar captain prepares to equal Xavi s historic appearance record.
Messi is one game away from matching Xavi as the players with the most games in Barcelona s history – 767 – ahead of Monday s LaLiga clash against Huesca.
Barca s Messi, who already holds the record for most trophies (34) and goals (658) in club history at Camp Nou, equalled Barca s all-time LaLiga appearances mark set by Xavi last month.
To date, Messi has featured in 509 LaLiga matches, while playing 149 Champions League fixtures, 79 Copa del Rey games, 20 in the Supercopa de Espana, five in the Club World Cup and four in the UEFA Super Cup.
Chips for two, please
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Lionel Messi s history with newly elected Barcelona president Joan Laporta is a good thing for the club but it still may not be enough to convince the six-time Ballon d Or winner to stay, accepts Ronald Koeman.
Laporta was confirmed as the permanent successor to Josep Maria Bartomeu on Sunday, winning over 50 per cent of the votes in the long-delayed elections.
Bartomeu left the club in October last year after facing the brunt of the criticism in response to Messi s attempted departure, with the player publicly castigating him and accusing him of reneging on promises.
Laporta had long been seen as the favourite for Sunday s election due to holding the post from 2003 to 2010, one of the club s most successful eras and the period that elevated Messi from youth pros…
Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font wants to lure Pep Guardiola back from Manchester City and vowed to keep Lionel Messi at the club.
Josep Maria Bartomeu quit as president at Camp Nou on Tuesday, ahead of a vote of no confidence against his leadership, along with the entire board of directors.
Following Bartomeu s decision to quit it has been reported Barcelona s presidential elections will be held in the second week of January, with Font tipped to be one of the frontrunners.
Font, 48, claimed that if he wins the vote he will seek to bring Guardiola back as head coach, get other big-name ex-players involved, and ensure Argentina international Messi stays.
Guardiola enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in charge of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, winn…
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire said an inability to defend, and not manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s tactics, is to blame for the Red Devils crashing out of the Champions League.
United required only a draw from Tuesday s trip to RB Leipzig to advance to the last 16 of the competition but were beaten 3-2 by last season s semi-finalists at the Red Bull Arena.
Solskjaer went with a five-man defence – a formation last used in the 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in October – and United found themselves two goals down inside 13 minutes, both goals coming from simple crosses.
Only against Juventus in April 1999 have United been 2-0 down earlier in a Champions League match (11 minutes), with on-loan Manchester City defender Angelino scoring the first and set…
Phil Foden is a gamechanger for Manchester City who could make the difference in Saturday s Champions League final, says team-mate Ilkay Gundogan.
Foden s first season as a regular first-team starter at City has yielded rich rewards, with a strike in Sunday s closing 5-0 win over Everton his 16th in all competitions.
That places him second in the club s scoring charts this term, just behind midfielder Gundogan on 17.
Foden has also chipped in with 10 assists – only Kevin De Bruyne (18) has more – and he looks set to have a key role to play in England s Euro 2020 campaign after making his international breakthrough.
First up are Chelsea in City s maiden appearance in the Champions League showpiece, an occasion for which Gundogan feels Foden need not m…