Heroic Williams looks forward to Afcon semi final clash against Nigeria

Bafana Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams has humbly refused to take all the credit for his exceptional penalty shootout heroics that propelled South Africa to the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) semifinals for the first time in 24 years.

Williams, who saved four penalties to secure a 2-1 victory over Cape Verde, acknowledged the crucial role played by the team’s analysts in preparing for the shootout.

In his post-match press conference, Williams dedicated his man of the match award to the entire team, including the staff, technical team, and analysts.

He praised the analysts for their extensive work in studying clips of Cape Verde’s penalty-takers, which allowed him to have a better understanding of their tendencies.

Williams admitted that without the analysts’ efforts, he may not have been able to make those crucial saves.

“The analysts sent me so many clips, my phone is full of penalty clips,” Williams said.

“Credit to the analysts because it’s not easy to get footage of these players, they are playing all over the world. The work the analysts did made my job easier because I had an idea where most of the players were going.”

Despite his outstanding performance, Williams remains focused on the ultimate goal of lifting the trophy in Ivory Coast.

While saving four penalties is undoubtedly a career highlight for him, he understands that it would only be surpassed by winning the tournament.

Looking ahead to the semifinals, where South Africa will face old rivals Nigeria, Williams appeared unfazed.

His confidence is likely bolstered by his impressive display against Cape Verde, which included a crucial save in the 90th minute to keep South Africa in the game.

As Bafana Bafana prepare for their encounter with the Super Eagles, Williams remains grateful for the support and contributions of his teammates, staff, and analysts.

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