Ronwen Williams made four saves as South Africa beat Cape Verde 2-1 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Saturday.

The Bafana Bafana goalkeeper also made a stunning stop at the end of normal time as the last-eight clash in Yamoussoukro ended goalless.

It was his fourth successive clean sheet in the tournament.

Cape Verde created the most chances throughout the game but were unable to make the most of their opportunities and South Africa, the 1996 champions, will now play Nigeria for a place in the final.

The first half was a cagey affair with neither goalkeeper seriously tested.

Kevin Pina had an opportunity for Cape Verde but headed well wide at the back post before South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena lashed a long-range shot straight at Vozinha.

A chance opened up for Themba Zwane after South Africa snatched possession and broke forward but he scuffed his shot wide.

Pina again missed the target at the other end after skipping around two challenges and Ryan Mendes also had an effort blocked after weaving through the area.

Cape Verde had the first chance of the second half when Joao Paulo volleyed wide but South Africa had an opportunity when Khuliso Mudau shot at Vozinha.

Garry Rodrigues could have given Cape Verde the lead when he got behind the defence just before the hour but he failed to get any power on his attempt to curl a shot around Williams.

Cape Verde stepped up the pressure and Rodrigues had an effort deflected for a corner and a Rocha shot was blocked before Jovane Cobral fired over.

Gilson Benchimol almost won it for Cape Verde in the second minute of stoppage time after racing onto a Logan Costa ball but Williams did brilliantly to palm his powerful effort onto the bar.

Extra time began with South Africa in the ascendancy but Vozinha came to Cape Verde’s rescue with two superb saves in quick succession from substitute Mihlali Mayambela and Mokoena.

Benchimol spurned another chance but neither side looked threatening in the second additional period and penalties became inevitable.

South Africa seized the early initiative in the shoot-out as Williams saved the first two spot-kicks from former Manchester United forward Bebe and Willy Semedo.

Zakhele Lepasa’s failure to hit the target gave Cape Verde hope but Williams then kept out Laros Duarte’s effort.

Vozinha saved from Aubrey Modiba in response and Bryan Teixeira finally registered for Cape Verde but Mothobi Mvala put South Africa on the brink and Williams completed the job by saving from Patrick Andrade.

Mohamed Salah was in the stands to watch Egypt scrape into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations with a breathless 2-2 draw with Cape Verde.

The striker stayed on to watch his countrymen in their crucial final Group B match before flying back to Liverpool for treatment on a muscle injury.

He will have feared the worst with the Pharaohs staring at an early exit after falling behind to a goal from Gilson Tavares for the surprise group winners.

But substitute Trezeguet hauled them level and Mostafa Mohamed fired them ahead at the start of stoppage time.

The Blue Sharks then rocked Egypt by equalising through Bryan Teixeira, but Ghana being pegged back 2-2 by Mozambique meant the Pharaohs clung on to second place.

With Cape Verde having already topped the group, Egypt were hoping they might not play with the same intensity that brought them two wins out of two.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha saved from Mohamed and Omar Marmoush while Zizo fired narrowly wide.

But in first-half stoppage time and with Cape Verde’s first real opportunity, the surprise package took the lead.

Ryan Mendes headed the ball into the path of Tavares, who turned sharply before crashing his shot low into the net.

Trezeguet should have equalised moments after coming on as a half-time substitute but he blazed his shot over the crossbar.

But the Trabzonspor midfielder made his mark three minutes later when he played a brilliant one-two with Ahmed Hegazy before lashing an angled shot past Vozinha.

Trezeguet almost immediately put Egypt ahead but drilled his shot across Vozinha and wide.

Mohamed had a golden chance from Trezeguet’s cross but agonisingly lifted his effort over the top.

But two minutes into stoppage time Mohamed chased on to a ball over the top and lifted it over Vozinha.

A dramatic victory seemed to have been secured but there was still time for Teixeira to fire an equaliser in the ninth minute of added time, although somehow Egypt could still celebrate qualification in the most nail-biting circumstances.

Cape Verde became the first team to qualify for the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-0 victory over Mozambique.

Bebe’s extraordinary free-kick and a brace from Ryan Mendes in Abidjan guaranteed that the Blue Sharks will top Group B.

Mozambique now lie bottom of the section with one point ahead of their final group game against Ghana, while Cape Verde meet Egypt on Monday.

Cape Verde, fresh from their shock opening victory over Ghana, impressed from the early exchanges.

Deroy Duarte forced an athletic save from Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan Siluane and the Fortuna Sittard midfielder also sent a diving header just wide of a post.

Bebe crashed a dipping 30-yard free-kick against the crossbar, but the former Manchester United striker was not to be denied from an even greater distance.

There appeared little danger as Bebe stood over a free-kick fully 40 yards out, but his swerving shot bamboozled Siluane who could only palm the ball into the net.

Mozambique caused few alarms until Witi’s tame effort straight at Vozinha, but the Mambas appeared to be handed a route back into the contest five minutes before the break.

Geny Catamo went down under a challenge from two defenders and a penalty was awarded before referee Samir Guezzaz was summoned to the VAR monitor and reversed his decision.

Mendes doubled the Blue Sharks’ advantage after 51 minutes by dispossessing the dawdling Edmilson Dove and firing home from the edge of the box.

Catamo clipped the crossbar with a curling free-kick with Mozambique’s best effort but their hopes were ended in spectacular style.

Mendes was given time and space to tee off from 25 yards, and his thumping drive whistled past Siluane for his 17th international goal and put the seal on a commanding performance.