Claude Le Roy Leads Congo to AFCON 2015 Quarter-Finals: “An Incredible Moment of Happiness”
Claude Le Roy, the most experienced coach in AFCON history with eight appearances, has once again worked his magic—this time with Congo. The Red Devils sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations after a decisive 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in Ebibeyin.
The French coach could not contain his joy after the match:
“It’s an incredible moment of happiness! But really! These guys are incredible! We plan, we work tactically, we have game plans and we have the impression that they are like fish in water, that they love it! Winning the ball back was where everything was at stake tonight,” Le Roy told reporters.
Congo’s victory not only secured their progression but ensured they finished top of Group A with 7 points, ahead of host nation Equatorial Guinea. It marks Congo’s first qualification for the AFCON quarter-finals since 1972.
Captain Prince Oniangué, who has been instrumental in midfield throughout the tournament, shared his pride on RFI:
“We are proud of what we have done. There must be joy in the country, so we are really happy for the nation and we want to continue like this. It was like a round of 16 match. We knew that if we won this match, we would not only be in the quarter-finals, but also top of the group and back in Bata. We have once again let go of a lot of energy, we will have to recover well to attack this quarter and make the difference.”
The Red Devils now set their sights on the knockout stage, hoping to extend their remarkable run under Le Roy’s expert guidance.
