Battle of South Africa premiership goalkeepers in Cup of Nations semifinal

ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire

Two goalkeepers from South Africa’s DStv Premiership have been the headline acts with the gloves at the Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast and will go head-to-head in the semifinals on Wednesday for what is possibly a clash to decide the Golden Glove award.

South Africa’s number one, Ronwen Williams

South Africa’s number one, Ronwen Williams from Mamelodi Sundowns has kept four clean sheets in a row and starred in their shootout win over Cape Verde in the quarterfinals, saving four spot-kicks to see his side into the next round.

Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali was personally scouted ahead of the Cup of Nations by Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, who travelled to his club Chippa United to meet with the gloveman.

The 27-year-old made his Nigeria debut in a 4-0 loss to Mexico in 2021, and then did not feature again until the 2-0 defeat to Guinea ahead of these finals.

But since then, he has been sublimed, conceding only once against Equatorial Guinea in Nigeria’s opening game of the tournament.

Nwabali has played in 15 of Chippa United’s 16 DStv Premiership games, during which time they have only conceded only 16 goals – a huge turnaround for a team that has battled for clean-sheets in the past. He has managed seven this campaign, or almost half the games he has played.

Chippa conceded 44 league goals last season, the worst defence in South Africa’s topflight.

Williams has already set a South African record for most clean sheets in a row and overall at a Cup of Nations finals.

They had 14 in 43 finals matches (33 per cent) heading to the Ivory Coast but have managed four in five (80 per cent) this tournament.

Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali 

The duo epitomise the influence the Premier Soccer League has had on this tournament, it is certainly had the biggest impact of any African league, by some distance.

South Africa have the squad with the most home-based players at the Cup of Nations after Hugo Broos named 20 of his 23 players from PSL clubs.

But clubs from the DStv Premiership and the Motsepe Foundation Championship have also been represented in other squads, with a sprinkling across all the other groups at the tournament in the Ivory Coast.

There have been a surprisingly high number of goalkeepers who are going to the finals from DStv Premiership clubs, or who have played in the league in the past, with Nigeria picking Nwabali in what was seen at the time as a shock selection, but has turned out to be an excellent one.

Ghana were captained by Orlando Pirates’ Richard Ofori despite the fact the giant ‘keeper is well down the pecking order at his club and has not played a single minute for them in this campaign.

Polokwane City’s first choice keeper Manuel Sapunga was in the Equatorial Guinea squad for a second successive tournament, though he did not play.

Badra Ali Sangare of Sekhukhune United was a fortuitous first choice for hosts Ivory Coast in Cameroon two years ago after their regular No 1 was banned for steroid use but he has been back on the bench again after the Ivorians found a new goalkeeper in the French second division in Yahia Fofana.

Guinea Bissau captain and goalkeeper Jonas Mendes was at his fourth successive tournament after the 34-year-old had two seasons at Black Leopards. He has since moved to Greece and plays for Kalamata in the second division.

Kaizer Chiefs’ Edmilson Dove was the only South African-based player in the Mozambique squad but the 40-year-old Elias Pelembe is no stranger to South Africans fans, having won the Player of the Season when he helped SuperSport United to a first league title in 2008 and then starred with Mamelodi Sundowns before moving onto Royal AM, where his contract ran out in July.

Tanzania had Richards Bay defender Abi Banda in their squad while Sekhukhune United’s Rally Bwalya was the only South African-based player for Zambia as Gamphani Lungu of SuperSport United did not make the cut.

Goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata now back playing his club football in Zambia after two seasons at Sekhukhune while Roderick Kabwe is now in Iraq after playing for Ajax Cape Town, Black Leopards and Sekhukhune.

Namibia had strong South African links as Peter Shalulile was back after missing November’s opening two World Cup qualifiers and was one of nine South African-based players picked by coach Collin Benjamin.