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South Africa achieved their best finish at the Africa Cup of Nations since 2000 by taking third place at the tournament in Ivory Coast.
Bafana Bafana defeated DR Congo 6-5 in a thrilling penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerging as the hero once again.
Williams, who had previously saved four penalties in the quarter-final victory over Cape Verde, came up big when it mattered most.
He blocked DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba’s attempt and then denied Meshack Elia’s effort to seal the win for South Africa.
The match, played at Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, was scoreless after 90 minutes, sending the game directly to penalties.
Tebogo Mokoena, who had been instrumental in South Africa’s run in the tournament, struck the post with the first penalty, but Williams’ saves ensured that his team emerged victorious.
Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who led Cameroon to victory in 2017, was jubilant after guiding South Africa to their impressive finish.
The team’s success is a significant improvement from their previous performance in 2000, when they last appeared on the podium, defeating Tunisia on penalties.
For DR Congo, their fourth-place finish marks their best result since 1998.