DR Congo Clinch Final Spot at AFCON 2015 as Best Third-Placed Team
The Democratic Republic of Congo have secured the final qualification berth for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as the best third-placed team, edging out Egypt in a dramatic finish to the qualifying campaign.
Despite a 3–1 win over Sierra Leone at the Tata Raphaël Stadium in Kinshasa, the Leopards’ fate remained uncertain. The goalless draw between group rivals Ivory Coast and Cameroon meant DR Congo were, for a time, provisionally eliminated. Their hopes were revived only when Tunisia defeated Egypt 2–1 in Monastir, allowing Florent Ibenge’s side to qualify on goal difference.
The dramatic qualification prompted an outpouring of relief from DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge, who spoke to Radio Okapi after watching Tunisia’s late win seal his side’s passage to Equatorial Guinea.
“We are happy to continue this journey with the group,” Ibenge said. “It would have been a real shame not to carry on the work we’ve started — the passion from the fans, the commitment from the federation, the leadership, the government, and all of us in the technical staff. It’s a relief and a real joy.”
Ibenge acknowledged the challenges his side had faced in qualifying, including having to rely on results elsewhere to secure their place at the finals.
“We knew we had to win, but we also knew our fate was not entirely in our hands,” he admitted. “We got the victory, but for my liking, it wasn’t enough. There was space, there were many chances — we should have done more.”
DR Congo adopted a new tactical approach for the must-win fixture, switching to a 4-4-2 formation for the first time under Ibenge. The coach revealed the team had only two days to prepare the change in shape, but was pleased with how the players responded.
“We didn’t play in our usual style,” he said. “This was the first time we used the 4-4-2 system, and though it wasn’t perfect, it worked well enough. The players adapted quickly, and we created a lot of opportunities.”
The Leopards’ qualification means they will join 15 other teams at the tournament in Equatorial Guinea, where they will aim to improve on their showing from the 2013 edition, in which they exited at the group stage.
“We’ve entered this phase of the AFCON quietly, but now we’ll have time to prepare — and that’s something we lacked before,” Ibenge said. “We’ll use this time to become more dangerous and make sure we’re ready.”
