CHAN: Niger deserved a bit more luck against South Africa – Kassali

Niger goalkeeper Mahamadou Kassali has explained how they managed to hold onto their ground against South Africa to secure a 0-0 African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw at Nelson Mandela Stadium on Friday.

Niger, entering the Group C match with no points, surprised the “Bafana Bafana,” who had four points and aimed for a victory to top the group and move closer to the quarterfinals.

Although the result was not enough to keep his team’s qualification hopes alive, Kassali delivered a remarkable performance, making several decisive saves that prevented the South Africans from breaking through Niger’s defensive wall.

“I am very satisfied with the results of our first two games. This trophy is for the whole team,” said Kassali as quoted by CAFOnline.com. “We received all the support from the coaching staff, but we had to fight for ourselves. Fortunately, I got the Man of the Match, but this award is also for Algeria. We will go after them, Inshallah, until the end.

“We greatly appreciate the support. We had to win this game, and if we could beat Algeria, we believed we could secure qualification. It’s a shame, but that’s the nature of football. We deserved a bit more luck.”

South Africa will face host Uganda in a crucial match where both must win to ensure qualification. Meanwhile, Algeria has the upper hand, needing just a draw against already-eliminated Niger to advance.