Congo Prepare for Central African Derby Against In-Form Gabon
By BBC Sport Africa
Bata – January 2015
Congo will face Gabon in a high-stakes Central African derby on Wednesday as Group A action continues at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. With both sides aiming for a place in the knockout rounds, the clash is expected to be one of the tournament’s early highlights.
Claude Le Roy’s Congo side earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their opening match against hosts Equatorial Guinea. In front of a packed and partisan crowd in Bata, the Red Devils showed resilience to come from behind and salvage a crucial point.
Their next challenge will be significantly tougher — a match against a confident Gabon team led by star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Panthers impressed in their opener, defeating 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso 2-0, with Aubameyang on the scoresheet.
Speaking ahead of the derby, Congo head coach Claude Le Roy acknowledged the strength of the Gabonese attack, while expressing confidence in his own team’s tactical approach.
“We saw a Burkina Faso team that lacked finishing, even if their play was quite good collectively,” Le Roy told Les Dépêches de Brazzaville. “Gabon, on the other hand, can count on real pace and power — Aubameyang, Bulot, Evouna. We know we can’t leave them any space behind our defence.”
The veteran French coach, who is managing in his eighth Africa Cup of Nations, stressed the importance of striking the right balance between caution and ambition.
“We must not be afraid to press them high when we have the opportunity,” he said. “This is a solid and efficient Gabon team, but they also have weaknesses in defence. It’s up to us to exploit them.”
Congo will look to build on their opening performance, where they showed flashes of attacking intent but struggled at times to cope with the hosts’ energy. A victory against Gabon would put Le Roy’s men in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals — a feat they haven’t achieved since 1992.
Gabon, meanwhile, will aim to maintain their momentum and become the first side in Group A to book their place in the last eight. With Aubameyang in prolific form and goalkeeper Didier Ovono delivering a standout performance against Burkina Faso, the Panthers appear well-equipped to meet expectations.
Kick-off at the Estadio de Bata is expected to draw a large crowd once again, with local fans anticipating a tightly contested and emotionally charged derby between two neighbouring nations.
