DR Congo Ready for Tough Test Against Strengthened Ivory Coast in AFCON Semi-Finals
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first victory of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations by defeating Congo 4-2 in the quarter-finals, following three draws against Zambia, Cape Verde, and Tunisia in the group stage.
Now in the semi-finals, Florent Ibenge’s Leopards face a familiar opponent—the Ivory Coast Elephants. The two sides previously clashed during the 2015 AFCON qualifiers in Abidjan, where DR Congo triumphed 4-3 in a thrilling encounter on October 15.
However, DR Congo’s coach Florent Ibenge is cautious ahead of the upcoming match, noting the significant evolution of the Ivorian squad.
“It’s a different team from the one we faced in October. It has changed especially defensively. There are new players who have been added, including Kolo Toure, who is masterfully leading this defense. It’s a team that is much more mature, that concedes fewer goals and that has changed its way of playing a little. Before, it worked more through possession of the ball, and now it’s through counterattacks. So it’s a different equation. They haven’t conceded many goals during this AFCON,” Ibenge told Radio Okapi.
Ivory Coast’s recent commanding performances, including victories over Cameroon (1-0) and Algeria (3-1), underline their strength as they seek to reach the final.
Fans are now eagerly awaiting a captivating semi-final showdown between two well-matched sides.
