South African Goalie Reveals Secret to Blocking 4 Penalty Kicks
South African national team goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has revealed the secret behind his outstanding performance in blocking penalty kicks during the match against Cape Verde, which secured “Bafana Bafana’s” spot in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast.
The match between South Africa and Cape Verde (Cape Verde) ended in a goalless draw after regular and extra time, with the result ultimately determined by a penalty shootout. Williams, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, successfully defended several attempts throughout the 120 minutes and also saved 4 out of 5 penalty kicks, leading the national team to the semifinals at the expense of Cape Verde.
Williams was awarded the Man of the Match accolade for the penalty shootout victory (2-1) over Cape Verde in the quarter-final of the Africa Cup of Nations. During a press conference, Williams attributed his success to the collective effort of his teammates, stating, “The most important thing is to win the match. I received this award thanks to all my teammates and the coaching staff.”
Regarding the secret behind his penalty saves, Williams credited the national team’s video analyst for his exceptional performance, stating, “The video analyst assisted me. I watched many matches and videos of the players before the game, in addition to training, which allowed me to deliver this performance. It is not easy to watch all these players who play all over the world.”
The South African team’s 32-year-old goalkeeper is a prominent figure in Mamelodi Sundowns, which recently clinched the African league championship after defeating Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca 2-0.
South Africa now has the opportunity to avenge their defeat against Nigeria, in their last appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, when they lost 2-0 to the “Super Eagles” in 2000.
