Gabriel Zakuani, the DR Congo defender, expressed serious concern over security conditions ahead of the third-place play-off against Equatorial Guinea at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. His reaction came in light of the violent incidents that occurred during the semi-final between Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, where fans threw projectiles at players and supporters, causing chaos and 36 reported injuries.
Zakuani posted on Twitter:
“If you throw that at the players, Equatorial Guinea, I’ll leave you 3rd place. I like football, but I prefer to live.”
He accompanied the message with photos of the projectiles hurled during that infamous semi-final. While his tone may have been joking, the underlying sentiment reflected the genuine fear and frustration shared by many players regarding the lack of crowd control and safety.
In contrast, coach Florent Ibenge chose to focus on the game and urged his team to remain concentrated on securing a podium finish, saying:
“We are only thinking about football, we are just thinking about winning the match. We are not afraid.”
The contrast between Zakuani’s worry and Ibenge’s composure highlighted the tense atmosphere surrounding the match in Malabo, especially given the decision to allow spectators despite recent violence.
