Ronwen Wiliams: Bafana Bafana Savior Played for Brother Who Died in Car Accident, Family Says

• Ronwen Williams had his late brother in his heart when saving four penalties vs Cape Verde
• The Sundowns goalkeeper put on a five-star performance in the AFCON 2023 quarter-final
• Williams' family says the performance was dedicated to his brother who passed on in 2010

Ronwen Williams has emerged as a notable figure over the past week.

The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper rose to the occasion in a gripping Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final match on Saturday, February 3.

This victory marked a significant milestone for Bafana Bafana, as it secured their place in the AFCON semi-finals for the first time since 2000.

Despite Cape Verde's Bryan Teixeira scoring from the penalty spot, South Africa's Teboho Mokoena and Mothobi Mvala countered effectively, sealing the win.

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The Williams family, filled with pride at Ronwen's historic achievement, said that his stellar performance was dedicated to his late brother, Marvin, who tragically lost his life in a car accident in April 2010.

Hazel, Ronwen's mother, stressed that Marvin shared Ronwen's passion for football, making the victory even more poignant.

"He did it for his boetie [brother]," Hazel told TimesLive.

Though lauded for his exceptional performance, Williams remained modest and redirected praise towards his teammates. He matched the record set by compatriot, Andre Arendse during the 1996 tournament in South Africa yet stressed the collective effort that led to their success.

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South Africa's progression to the next stage was hard-fought, with a goalless draw against the Blue Sharks in regular and extra time, ultimately clinching a 2-1 victory through a post-match shootout.

Instead of taking the credit, Williams instead highlighted Bafana Bafana's and determination throughout the challenging 120-plus minutes.

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Acknowledging the individual accolades, the Sundowns shot-stopper credited the team's analyst, Sinesipho Mali, for providing invaluable insights and preparation, particularly with numerous penalty clips for reference.

Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, also commended Williams for his remarkable penalty-saving skills, though he acknowledged the overall challenges faced by the team during the game against Cape Verde.

"I think we played the worst game of the tournament of all our games," he said, as reported by Goal.

While reflecting on the uniqueness and unpredictability of penalty situations, Broos admitted that some players may have felt pressure, especially those new to such high-stakes encounters.

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Sport Brief previously reported on some of the internet's wildest reactions to Williams' saves for Bafana in their AFCON quarter-final win over Cape Verde.

The dramatic win sent South Africa to the stage for the first time in 24 years, ending a big dream for the Blue Sharks. Bafana will meet Nigeria in the semi-final.