AFCON Showdown: Nigeria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, and DR Congo’s Epic Semi-Final Encounters

As the Super Eagles of Nigeria gear up to face South Africa in the highly anticipated AFCON 2023 semi-final match, fans are curious about the history of these two teams, along with Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the tournament’s semi-finals.

Let’s dive into the past encounters and see how many times these four teams have met in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations.

Nigeria vs. South Africa: A Brief History

Nigeria and South Africa have faced each other in the AFCON tournament several times, but they have never met in the semi-final stage. Their most recent encounter was in the 2019 edition, where Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-1 in the quarter-final match.

Ivory Coast vs. Democratic Republic of Congo: A Tale of Two Rivals

Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo have faced each other twice in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations. The first encounter was in 1965 when Ivory Coast emerged victorious with a 3-0 win.

The second meeting took place in 1992, where the DRC (then known as Zaire) turned the tables, winning 3-0 against Ivory Coast.

Nigeria vs. Ivory Coast: A Clash of Titans

Nigeria and Ivory Coast have met in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations only once, in 1994. Nigeria emerged victorious in that match with a 2-2 draw and a 4-2 win in the penalty shootout.

Nigeria vs. Democratic Republic of Congo: A Rare Encounter

Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo have never faced each other in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations. However, they have met in the group stages and the quarter-finals.

While Nigeria and South Africa have not met in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo have a history of facing each other in this stage of the tournament.

Nigeria and Ivory Coast have met once in the semi-finals, with Nigeria coming out on top.

As we look forward to the upcoming AFCON 2023 semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa, let’s see if history will repeat itself or if a new chapter will be written in the annals of African football.