Williams, Bafana scoop AFCON awards

Ronwen Williams won the Golden Glove, given to the goalkeeper of the tournament, at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, while Bafana Bafana also won the Fair Play Award.

The Mamelodi Sundowns ‘keeper captained Bafana to the bronze medal in the Ivory Coast, and led from the front with some brilliant performances as Hugo Broos’ side exceeded expectations.

Williams kept five clean sheets in seven matches at the tournament, producing some fine saves, but it was in two penalty shoot-outs that the Bafana captain really stood out. Against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals, he became the first goalkeeper in an Africa Cup of Nations to save four of the first five penalties in a shootout.

And in the bronze medal match on Saturday night, Williams saved another two penalties as Bafana came back from the brink to defeat DR Congo and seal third place at an AFCON for the first time in 24 years.

Bafana, meanwhile, won the Fair Play Award for their sportsmanship throughout the competition.