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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Bafana missed out on Afcon final ticket</li><li>They lost to Nigeria in the semis</li><li>Williams expresses his feelings</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

'Devastated' Bafana Bafana skipper Williams insists they deserved to be in Afcon 2023 final after Nigeria loss

South Africa <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/nigeria-victor-osimhen-winner-cancelled-out-south-africa-penalty-kelechi-iheanacho-super-eagles-afcon-final/bltb73758f8a8a0cd08" target="_blank">dragged the Super Eagles to a penalty shootout</a> following a 1-1 draw after extra-time tie on Wednesday.Hugo Broos' men then succumbed 4-2 on penalties and missed out on playing in the final of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/africa-cup-of-nations/68zplepppndhl8bfdvgy9vgu1" target="_blank">the continental tournament. </a>In remarks that echo his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/football-can-be-hard-bafana-bafana-should-be-in-afcon-final-not-nigeria-insists-hugo-broos-as-jose-peseiro-disagrees-nigeria-players-deserve-it/blt462ee44dc2ed44a4" target="_blank">coach Broos' sentiments that it is Bafana who should be in the final instead of Nigeria,</a> Williams believes South Africa deserved the victory more.

WHAT HAPPENED?

“Obviously, we still feel devasted, hurt, a lot of pain,” Williams told Safa media.“But in saying that, I’m so immensely proud of the boys. Day in, day out we showed the resilience, we showed the brotherhood.“I think this team deserved to be in the final just for the brotherhood we showed and the hard work we did over the last five weeks. “So, as much as I’m feeling sad, I’m so proud about each and every member of the squad.”

WHAT WILLIAMS SAID

The "brotherhood" mentioned by Williams could be key for Bafana going forward in a team that was growing in confidence with each passing Afcon game.This was after they recovered from the 2-0 loss to Mali in their tournament opener before hammering Namibia 4-0 and then frustrating Tunisia in a 0-0 draw to knock them out at the group stages, while Bafana progressed in second place.Beating and eliminating Morocco in the Round of 16 was the peak of their performance as they then dumped out Cape Verde via a penalty shootout before the Nigeria match.They had arrived in Ivory Coast amid criticism for lacking consistency after edging Benin 2-1 in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers before losing 2-0 to Rwanda and drawing 0-0 with Lesotho in an Afcon warm-up game.Their March and June international assignments will be a test to see if the impressive Afcon run was not a fluke.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Saturday's Afcon third-place play-off against DR Congo is a match South Africa will be desperate to avoid losing after failing to reach the final.<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/match/south-africa-vs-andorra/6ueehrchpm64a0sulnjp9jw2c" target="_blank">Bafana are thenset to face Andorra</a> and Algeria in international friendly matches in March as they prepare for June's 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.Interestingly, they come up against Nigeria away in June before hosting Zimbabwe as they seek to remain on course for World Cup qualification and claim Group C top spot from the current number two position.

WHAT NEXT FOR BAFANA?

'Devastated' Bafana Bafana skipper Williams insists they deserved to be in Afcon 2023 final after Nigeria loss | Goal.com South Africa

Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has poured out his feelings following their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final defeat to Nigeria.