Both teams have goalkeepers who could be chosen as the best in the Ivory Coast finals, as each of them kept a clean sheet four times.
Furthermore, South Africa captain Ronwen Williams produced a man-of-the-match performance, saving four penalty kicks in the shootout win over Cape Verde.
“Ronwen is the toast of South Africa,” Foreman said. “Saving four penalty kicks is exceptional.”
“I'm very happy for him – he's a great guy, the leader and that's what you lead by example.”
With just two senior caps before their opening Group A match, Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabale was one of the revelations of the tournament with a calm and confident performance in his first Africa Cup of Nations match for the Super Eagles.
The 27-year-old, who like his counterpart plays in the South African Premier League, allayed Nigerian fans' concerns about goalkeeping.
“Nwabali came in very good condition,” Babangida said.
“He is good with the ball at his feet. His inclusion in the team has alleviated the problem we have in that aspect.”
Babangida was the match-winner when the two teams met in 2000, scoring both goals in the tournament hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.
But he says the Super Eagles felt some tension before facing the South African national team, which toppled the Black Stars in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, with stars such as Fish, Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune and Sean Bartlett.
Babangida (50 years old), referring to his country’s withdrawal from the 1996 finals, which led to it being denied participation in the 1998 finals, said, “South Africa was in the lead at that time and Nigeria had been out of the African competition for nearly four years.”
He added, “In the semi-finals, the Nigerians were nervous because (South Africa) had already beaten Ghana and they were confident. It was a tense match, but we were more determined and we overcame it at the right moment.”
Although Nigeria won this confrontation, it was defeated in the final by its neighbor Cameroon, which lifted the cup after a penalty shootout.
