Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has often been the team’s saving grace at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments.
In the 2023 edition, he was Bafana’s best player and even earned the Golden Glove Award for his heroics.
In the quarter-finals against Cape Verde, he made a last-minute save to force the match into penalties. During the penalty shootout, he made three big saves to help South Africa qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since 2000.
Williams once again played a key role in helping Bafana Bafana qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This was the first time in 23 years that the South Africans managed to earn their ticket to a World Cup.
How has Ronwen Williams performed at this year’s AFCON?
The 33-year-old keeper hasn’t been at his best even for his club, Mamelodi Sundowns. In this AFCON, the ex-SuperSport United keeper has conceded four times, which is one more than in the previous edition.
Williams played four matches in the 2019 edition which Bafana reached the quarter-finals before losing 2-1 to Nigeria. The Downs keeper conceded four times and in all the games he failed to keep a clean sheet, South Africa lost.
On Sunday evening, Bafana take on Cameroon in the round of 16, looking to reach the quarter-finals for three consecutive tournaments they have featured in.
Ronwen Williams will have to play a key role and keep a clean sheet if his side are to progress to the next round.