FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Quarter Final - Cape Verde v South Africa - Stade Charles Konan Banny, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast - February 3, 2024 South Africa players celebrate after winning the penalty shootout REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
BOUAKE, Ivory Coast (Reuters) - South Africa will draw inspiration from their win over Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 when they meet Nigeria in the semi-final on Wednesday, coach Hugo Broos said on the eve of the match.
South Africa produced a surprise 2-0 win over favourites Morocco to eliminate them from the tournament in the Ivory Coast and feel the confidence gained from that result could aid them as they seek another upset.
"I have to say that we are very happy and motivated to play in the semi-finals tomorrow. I think for many people it was unexpected but we did it and that means that South Africa has become a good team," Broos told a press conference on Tuesday.
"It's more than 20 years ago that South Africa last played in a semi-final and even longer since we were last in a final, so we have a lot of motivation for this semi and we want to play again in the final on Sunday.
"We are playing against a very good team tomorrow, with all players who play abroad. It is the same situation as when we met Morocco, who also had a very good team with players based in Europe at big clubs.
"You can compare the two games and I think for many people Nigeria are the favourites to win the game but as you know in football it not always the favourite who wins."
The 71-year-old praised the motivation of his players, almost exclusively home-based and who have not conceded in their last four games.
"I've always had confidence in these players, even when in South Africa there were a lot of question marks about them. I think it's important to be able to work for a long time with the same players," Broos added.
The former Belgian international, who coached Cameroon to an unexpected title in 2017, had earlier suggested he was considering retirement but on Tuesday backtracked.
"As long as things are going the way it is now, why should I stop? I like my job, I like football, so we will see what the future will bring," he said.
"But I think it's totally normal that after a career of 36 years as a coach and 18 years as a professional footballer, that little by little you start thinking about the end of your career, but it's nothing more than that."
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
