Nigeria and South Africa will clash in WAFCON semi final on Tuesday. South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis has voiced concerns about her team’s fatigue following a draining quarter-final battle against Senegal. The reigning African champions edged Senegal 4-1 on penalties after a gruelling 120 minutes of goalless football at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca. With less time to rest and a day spent on travel, Ellis admits her players might not be at full capacity when they face a red-hot Nigerian side on Tuesday. “120 minutes with a day less to prepare and a day to travel takes a lot. We won’t overthink anything now because we want to celebrate what we have done, but as a technical team we are already planning how to prepare for Nigeria," Ellis said. Ellis believes in her squad’s mental toughness and collective grit and hailed her side’s resilience in overcoming Senegal, particularly singling out goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who made two crucial saves in the shootout. “This was our first penalty shootout win in WAFCON, we lost it in the 2006 and 2018 finals. I don’t have enough words to describe this team, the courage, the willingness to fight for each other… no matter what was thrown at us, we were able to withstand it.” Nigeria look sharp ahead of semis The Super Falcons, fresh off a commanding 5-0 win over Zambia, appear to be hitting peak form at the right moment. The Nigerian side cruised into the last four with a dominant display. The semifinal clash is more than just a clash of two African giants; it’s a continuation of an intense rivalry. After South Africa defeated Nigeria in the 2022 WAFCON group stage, Nigeria retaliated by defeating Banyana Banyana 1-0 on aggregate in the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers. The semi-final is on Tuesday at Stade Larbi Zaouli, Casablanca.