The Africa Cup of Nations continues its captivating journey, with only four teams remaining in the competition and two coveted slots up for grabs in the final for a shot at the illustrious $7 million trophy. In one semifinal clash, South Africa is set to go head-to-head against Nigeria, while the host nation Ivory Coast will entertain DR Congo in the other semifinal fixture. Remarkably, DR Congo has a history of winning the tournament twice, both times eliminating the host nation en route to victory. As they face Ivory Coast in the semifinals, the question arises: will history repeat itself? Despite their historical success, DRC's last tournament triumph dates back to 1974. Ivory Coast, the only side among the remaining three to have won recently, clinched the title in 2015. Nigeria secured their last victory in 2013, and South Africa, with renewed energy, aims to replicate their 1996 success. Nigeria enters the semifinal with a robust defensive record, conceding only once in the tournament, during the opening 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea. They have won all four matches in regular time, displaying a potent attack in each game. On the other hand, South Africa overcame Cape Verde through penalties after a goalless draw and faced a tough battle for victory against Morocco. With Nigeria being the favorite against South Africa and Ivory Coast having the home crowd advantage against DR Congo, the stage is set for thrilling semifinal encounters. However, the unpredictability of the tournament has already provided unexpected turns, reminding us that matches are ultimately decided on the pitch, transcending the statistics of past games.