🏆 South Africa end Cape Verde fairytale on penalties; Ivory Coast through | OneFootball

The AFCON knockout rounds continued Saturday night with two big quarter-final matchups. Here is what went down across the grounds.

Williams the hero as South Africa advance on penalties

There was a drop in quality from the earlier barnstormer between Mali and hosts Ivory Coast.

But the tension was still palpable after 90 minutes produced no goals, seeing the second game of the day head to extra-time.

Cape Verde created a flurry of chances in the extra period, but some heroic defending and the crossbar came to the rescue of the South Africans.

After four saves from South African keeper Ronwen Williams in the penalty-shootout, Mothobi Mvala stepped up to send South Africa into the semi-final in dramatic fashion.

Ivory Coast advance after 122nd minute winner

Scorers: Adingra 90′, Diakité 122′ ; Dorgeles 71′

In perhaps the most dramatic game of the tournament so far, 10-man Ivory Coast scored goals in the 90th and 122nd minutes to knockout Mali.

It was all Mali in the early going despite a raucous crowd behind the host country, and the visitors saw a pair of major penalty shouts waved away in the opening 10 minutes.

The luck finally turned their way when they were awarded a spot-kick for a last-ditch tackle in the Ivorian box, but Hull City’s Adama Traoré saw his tame effort saved to keep the scoreline untouched.

After riding their luck throughout the first-half, the home side finally began to collapse when Odilon Kossounou was sent off for his second yellow card in the opening 45 minutes.

While it took until the final 20 minutes, Mali finally found the opener that they perhaps felt they deserved when Nene Dorgeles fired home from the edge of the box to stun the home crowd.

It looked as if the hosts would crash out in limp fashion, but the the tie was flipped on its head in the dying minutes when Simon Adingra pulled the Ivory Coast level in dramatic fashion to send the game to extra-time.

As penalties beckoned, Oumar Diakité popped up to snatch a 122nd minute winner in dramatic fashion to book their spot in the semi-final.