“They saved my life” — Ola Aina reacts to penalty miss

Penalties are never a straight forward thing, and in Wednesday’s semi-final vs South Africa, Super Eagles’ Ola Aina could have very much become the night’s villain had his penalty miss led to a different outcome for Nigeria.

Following a tense semi-final showdown against South Africa, the Super Eagles of Nigeria left-back expressed gratitude to his teammates for rallying around him after his penalty miss.

The Super Eagles secured their spot in the AFCON 2023 final after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over their South African counterparts.

In a match characterized by defensive prowess from both sides, it came as no surprise that regulation and extra time ended with a 1-1 deadlock, necessitating the decisive penalty shootout.

With both nations boasting strong defensive records throughout the tournament, the stage was set for a dramatic conclusion.

Ultimately, it was the heroics of Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwanbali that proved pivotal, as he made two crucial saves during the penalty shootout.

However, it was Ola Aina who found himself in the spotlight after missing the only penalty for Nigeria, resulting in a nerve-wracking 4-2 triumph.

Despite the disappointment of his miss, Aina lauded his teammates for their unwavering support and praised Nwanbali’s exceptional performance between the posts. Their collective efforts propelled Nigeria to the final, where they will vie for AFCON glory against formidable opposition.