Ivory Coast vs DR Congo LIVE: Afcon semi-final result and reaction as Haller fires hosts into final
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo: Tournament hosts will play Nigeria in Sunday’s final after a narrow semi-final victory
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Your support makes all the difference.Ivory Coast booked their place in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations after Sebastian Haller’s second-half strike saw them win 1-0 against DR Congo
The hosts, who lost two of their group stages and sacked their managed mid-tournament, grew into the encounter and were unlucky not to be ahead at the break after Haller fired wide with a header and Frank Kessie struck the post.
However, the key breakthrough arrived after the break when Haller volleyed Max Gradel’s cross into the ground, the ball looping up and over a helpless Lionel Mpasi.
Ivory Coast, who last won the tournament in 2015, will take on Nigeria in Sunday’s final after the Super Eagles won on penalties against South Africa earlier in the day.
Relive all the action below:
Closing in on kick-off
Just five minutes to go - which team will join Nigeria in Sunday’s final?
Ivory Coast vs DR Congo
The players are making their way out onto the field, the stands are decked in a sea of orange and it’s almost time for the match, but first there will be national anthems.
Ivory Coast looking to buck the trend
Ivory Coast must surely be feeling the pressure as the host nation and favourites for tonight’s clash. However, the record of host nations in this stage of the competition does not make for pretty reading.
On the last three occasions that the Africa Cup of Nations host nation has reached the semi-final, they have been eliminated without scoring a goal: Ghana in 2008 (lost 1-0 to Cameroon), Equatorial Guinea in 2015 (lost 3-0 to Ghana) and Cameroon in 2021 (drew 0-0 with Egypt and lost 3-1 on pens).
The last host to reach the final was Egypt in 2006.
A long wait for DR Congo
This stage of the competition is unfamiliar territory for the Congolese team in recent years.
In fact, should they reach the Africa Cup of Nations final, it would be their first final since 1974 which would represent the biggest gap between a nation reaching AFCON finals, with Tunisia currently having the longest wait between 1965 and 1996.
Can they make history tonight against the hosts?
Last time out for DR Congo
Having come through a penalty shootout win against Eygyt, DR Congo booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations thanks to a 3-1 win over Guinea.
Guinea took the lead after just 20 minutes but The Leapards fought back superbly, equalising just seven minutes later through captain Chancel Mbemba’s cool left-footed finish.
Brentford striker Yoanne Wissa tucked away a second-half penalty before Arthur Masuaku secured the win, taking his side through to their first semi-final since 2015.
Last time out for Ivory Coast
Hosts Ivory Coast kept up their incredible escape act at the Africa Cup of Nations as they came from behind to beat Mali 2-1 in their quarter-final, scoring a last-gasp goal in extra time to book a semi-final with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Oumar Diakite got a touch to Seko Fofana’s strike to win the game for the Ivorians, who played with 10 men for most of the match after Odilon Kossounou was sent off shortly before half-time.
Mali had taken a 71st-minute lead through Nene Dorgeles but the home team, roared on by the crowd at the Stade de la Paix, fought back and equalised through Simon Adingra in the 90th minute to force extra time.
Diakite then scored the winner before being sent off for a second booking by taking his shirt off in celebration. Mali’s Hamari Traore was also shown a red card at the final whistle.
Ivory Coast continue Africa Cup of Nations escape act to sneak into semi-finals
Ivory Coast 2-1 Mali (aet): The hosts scored in the final minue of extra-time to win the quarter-final after equalising in the 90th minute
Team news
Four changes for Ivory Coast. In defence, Aurier and the suspended Kossounou make way for Ndicka and Singa, while further forward Haller and Adingra are preferred to Kouame and Pepe.
One change, meanwhile, for DR Congo as Kakuta returns in place of Bongonda.
Team news coming shortly
Just five minutes to go until the team news hits - will there be any surprises?
We’ll find out shortly...
Samuel Eto’o’s resignation rejected as Cameroon corruption crisis deepens
Samuel Eto’o tendered his resignation as president of the Cameroon Football Federation on Monday only to have it rejected by its executive committee.
Eto’o, who was named the African player of the year a record four times, has been dogged by allegations of improper conduct, match-fixing and corruption.
The federation said its executive committee met in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, on Monday to evaluate the national team’s performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, and that the meeting started with Eto’o offering to step down while inviting the other members “to do likewise in good faith.”
Eto’o, who celebrated with the team after the dramatic win over Gambia in their final group game, has been dogged by corruption allegations in the last year.
Samuel Eto’o’s resignation rejected as Cameroon corruption crisis deepens
Eto’o had stepped down as president of the African nation’s football federation after allegations of match-fixing and corruption
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