South Africa vs DR Congo LIVE! AFCON result, match stream and latest updates today
South Africa overcame DR Congo to claim third place at the Africa Cup of Nations.
After their galling exit at the hands of Nigeria in the semi-finals, Bafana Bafana rode their luck at times as The Leopards squandered a host of good chances.
Both Chancel Mbemba and Yoanee Wissa should have scored in normal time for DR Congo, who had the best of the openings throughout the 120 minutes of action.
Still, South Africa held on and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams again proved to be the hero in the penalty shootout, much as he had gone against Cape Verde in the quarter-finals.
Despite South Africa falling behind by missing their first spot-kick, Williams saved two penalties to see them claim third spot. Mbemba could have won but Williams saved, forcing the shootout to a sudden-death format, from which Bafana Bafana claimed their victory.
After an AFCON full of drama, it was a fitting penultimate game.
South Africa vs DR Congo latest news
Williams the hero as Bafana Bafana claim third place
Good night!
22:40 , Jonathan Gorrie
Thanks for following Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of South Africa’s dramatic win over DR Congo!
Find our full report below!
Williams the hero as South Africa claim third place at AFCON
22:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams proved the hero again as Bafana Bafana beat DR Congo in a penalty shootout to claim third sport the Africa Cup of Nations. Read the full story here!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:12 , Jonathan Gorrie
Elia MISSES! Williams has it covered and Bafana Bafana claim third place!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:11 , Jonathan Gorrie
Xulu SCORES for South Africa. 6-5.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
Wissa SCORES for DR Congo! 5-5.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:09 , Jonathan Gorrie
Appollis SCORES for South Africa. 5-4.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mbemba’s penalty is SAVED. We stay at 4-4!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
Lepasa SCORES for South Africa! 4-4.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:06 , Jonathan Gorrie
Kayembe SCORES for DR Congo! 3-4 on pens.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:05 , Jonathan Gorrie
Modiba SCORES for South Africa! 3-3 on pens.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
Bakambu SCORES for DR Congo. They lead 3-2.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
Monare SCORES for South Africa! 2-2 on pens.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:03 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mfulu SCORES for DR Congo! They lead 2-1 thus far.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:02 , Jonathan Gorrie
Sibisi SCORES for South Africa!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:01 , Jonathan Gorrie
Moutoussamy SCORES for DR Congo! Cracking penalty.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
22:00 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mokoena hits the post!
FT: South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:55 , Jonathan Gorrie
Nothing to split the teams as we head into extra-time!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
89 mins: SO CLOSE!
Mayele puts a volley wide in the dying embers! We look set for penalties.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:42 , Jonathan Gorrie
83 mins: Wissa doing his best to cause problems but just cannot find a way through the South African backline.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:34 , Jonathan Gorrie
75 mins: WHAT A MISS!
Mbemba finds himself free at the back post but can’t sort his feet out and blazes over the bar!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:24 , Jonathan Gorrie
65 mins: SO CLOSE!
Williams makes a rare mistake by dropping the ball when trying to claim a clearance but Silas puts his chance wide!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:22 , Jonathan Gorrie
62 mins: DR Congo just cannot find the right ball in the final third.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
58 mins: Williams in the South Africa just meets everything.
DR Congo need to pull out something special.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:13 , Jonathan Gorrie
53 mins: Outside of a moment of magic, it’s hard to see where a winner is coming from.
South Africa are so good defensively but lack conviction in attack.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
21:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
48 mins: Diagana is causing South Africa some problems but Bafana Bafana largely remain comfortable in their deep block.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo: Back underway!
21:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
Away we go!
HT: South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
That’s the half-time whistle!
No goals so far.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:47 , Jonathan Gorrie
46 mins: Little to split them so far, albeit DR Congo have probably had the better of things.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:42 , Jonathan Gorrie
41 mins: South Africa going long to try and split the DR Congo defence but Mbemba is dealing with everything pretty well.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:36 , Jonathan Gorrie
35 mins: South Africa are so strong at the back, any time DR Congo go forward, they are simply crowded out.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:32 , Jonathan Gorrie
30 mins: For a team who didn’t want to play the game, South Africa certainly are putting in a competitive performance.
Yet to get going in an attacking sense, however.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:25 , Jonathan Gorrie
24 mins: DR Congo just can’t find the final pass, they’ve been far too sloppy in decent areas.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:20 , Jonathan Gorrie
20 mins: Makgopa ties his luck from range but blazes over!
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:13 , Jonathan Gorrie
12 mins: South Africa starting to get their foot on the ball now but aren’t creating much.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
08 mins: CHANCE FOR DR CONGO!
Mvumpa has only Williams to beat after a break but the South Africa keeper stands tall and robs him of the ball.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:05 , Jonathan Gorrie
05 mins: Wissa almost in but DR Congo can’t quite find the right ball.
Bafana Bafana happy to sit on the ball at the moment.
South Africa 0-0 DR Congo
20:03 , Jonathan Gorrie
02 mins: Confident start from DR Congo, who look as if they’re going to dominate the early stages.
South Africa vs DR Congo: KICK-OFF!
20:00 , Jonathan Gorrie
Away we go!
South Africa vs DR Congo: A tournament full of memories
19:41 , Jonathan Gorrie
What an AFCON it’s been...
Finir en beauté 🔥🐆🇨🇩#CAN2023 #CONGO pic.twitter.com/geteIk8CnA
— LEOPARDSFOOT (@leopardsfoot) February 10, 2024
South Africa vs DR Congo: A look at tonight's venue
19:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
How tonight’s venue looks!
Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny looks good today 🌱🤩
Can't wait for tonight's action! 🇿🇦🇨🇩#RSARDC | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/4yuNnz8QnX— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 10, 2024
South Africa vs DR Congo: Atmosphere building
19:13 , Jonathan Gorrie
One last time from Bafana Bafana!
One more time. 🇿🇦🎤#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 l @BafanaBafana pic.twitter.com/xBZ4ADRNXG
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 10, 2024
South Africa vs DR Congo: AFCON latest
19:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
Third place or not, South Africa are taking this seriously.
Curtain call… the final dance tonight at Félix Houphoët Boigny Stadium in the hope of a🥉 in this #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #AFCON2023 #BafanaPride - wave your flags 🇿🇦 - we push till the end! 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/ikR1TUwAWu
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) February 10, 2024
Confirmed DR Congo lineup
19:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
DR Congo XI: Yaka; Kifutu, Buduka, Tshibola, Diangana, Moutoussamy, Bongonda, Kotompa, Ditu, Mbemba, Bokote
Confirmed South Africa lineup
19:01 , Jonathan Gorrie
South Africa XI: Williams; Mudau, Xulu, Sibisi, Modiba; Sihole, Mokena, Zwane; Mayambela, Makgopa, Morena
South Africa vs DR Congo: Not long until team news
18:55 , Jonathan Gorrie
Minutes away from finding out who lines up for today’s game.
South Africa vs DR Congo: Calm before the storm
18:33 , Jonathan Gorrie
A look inside the dressing rooms...
Dressing rooms. 📸
All in place for Bafana Bafana and The Leopards' big clash! ✅#RSARDC | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/k6iul18Cmj— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 10, 2024
South Africa vs DR Congo: Batubinsika calls for focus
18:22 , Jonathan Gorrie
Dylan Batubinsika has warned his DR Congo teammates to keep their focus despite losing the semi-final.
"I think we have a mixture of feelings with the elimination, but our ambition is to go and get this medal. We have to stay mobilised to at least finish in third place," the player said.
He added,”We have to be proud of what we've done so far, we've had a great run, we would have liked to go all the way but that wasn't the case
South Africa vs DR Congo: Heartbreak for Bafana Bafana
17:59 , Jonathan Gorrie
Losing on penalties was such a cruel exit for South Africa, so its fascinating to see how they react.
South Africa vs DR Congo: Latest odds
17:54 , Jonathan Gorrie
South Africa to finish third: 6/5
DR Congo to finish third: 8/13
Odds via Betfair and subject to change.
South Africa coach admits he'd rather not play AFCON third-place play-off
17:45 , Jonathan Gorrie
The right to finish third at the Africa Cup of Nations is not one that South Africa coach Hugo Broos will lose much sleep over.
Bafana Bafana face DR Congo in Abidjan on Saturday for a play-off game before the final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast a day later.
It was Nigeria who denied South Africa their first final in 24 years in a dramatic penalty shootout, after Broos’ side defied expectations to go deep into the competition.
South Africa vs DR Congo: Head to head (h2h) history and results
17:40 , Jonathan Gorrie
The two nations met in a friendly in September, with South Africa picking up a 1-0 win.
South Africa wins: 3
Draws: 1
DR Congo wins: 1
South Africa vs DR Congo: Prediction today
17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
DR Congo have conceded five goals in six matches at the tournament, while the South Africa defence has only been breached three times.
It would be a surprise if either side really opened up now, even if the pressure is off to a degree, and it could be another long, tight encounter. Bafana Bafana were so close to reaching the final, and are fancied to end their AFCON run on a high.
South Africa to win in extra-time.
DR Congo team news vs South Africa today
17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
As for DR Congo, Gael Kakuta made his return from injury in the semi-final but managed only 45 minutes. It remains to be seen whether he is risked against Bafana Bafana.
Yoane Wissa is expected to start again, before returning to try and win his place back in the Brentford side.
South Africa team news vs DR Congo today
17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
Grant Kekana is suspended for South Africa after his red card against Nigeria, with Nkosinathi Sibisi and Siyanda Xulu the options to partner Mothobi Mvala in the centre of defence.
Hugo Broos has been reluctant to make changes throughout the tournament, but Mihlali Mayambela and Zakhele Lepasa are among those who could come in should he opt to shuffle his pack for the third place play-off. Thapelo Maseko will miss out again.
South Africa vs DR Congo: TV channel and live stream
17:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
TV channel: The third place play-off will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports football, with coverage getting underway at 7:45pm GMT ahead of kick-off 15 minutes later.
Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the final action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog.
Welcome
17:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of South Africa’s AFCON third-place playoff with DR Congo today.
Kick-off at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan is at 8pm GMT.
