WATCH: Kodwa hails Bafana Bafana players following AFCON heartbreak

South Africa suffers heartbreak after Kelechi Iheanacho scored to give Nigeria a 4-2 penalty shootout victory in Wednesday’s semi-final in Bouake.

The match finished 1-1 after extra time, and the three-time champions will face hosts Ivory Coast in the final on Sunday.

It was the first time since 2000 that Bafana Bafana managed to reach the last four at the continental showpiece.

Kodwa spoke to the players in the dressing room after the game, saying the building blocks are now in place for the team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the US and Mexico.

“You are our heroes,” Kodwa told the players.

“You really fought like the warriors of King Hintsa, Sekhukhune, Shaka, but like I say, the game of football is round; anything can happen in football. It’s about taking those chances. You have done well, and I want to thank you for the sacrifices you have made in the name of the country. You are an inspiration to many young people.”

Bafana Bafana won their first and only Africa Cup of Nations title on home soil in 1996.