Claude Le Roy Slams AFCON 2015 Logistics After Congo’s Draw with Hosts
Congo head coach Claude Le Roy has once again criticised the organisational standards of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, expressing frustration following his side’s 1-1 draw with host nation Equatorial Guinea in the tournament’s opening match.
The veteran French coach, who has managed more AFCON matches than anyone in history, did not hold back when asked about the conditions surrounding his team’s pre-match experience. Speaking to Canal+, Le Roy revealed that his squad endured a lengthy and uncomfortable journey to the stadium — a situation he believes impacted their sluggish start.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining again,” Le Roy said. “But when you spend 1 hour and 5 minutes on a bus without air conditioning for what should be a 12-minute journey — what do you do? They put us in traffic jams, and they were laughing and happy. That might explain, not everything, but part of our start to the match. It’s unworthy of a host country.”
Despite the logistical issues, Le Roy remained pragmatic when analysing his team’s performance on the pitch. Equatorial Guinea took the lead through Emilio Nsue in the first half, but Congo grew into the game and salvaged a point late on thanks to Thievy Bifouma’s equaliser.
“We got ourselves into difficulty by losing the ball too quickly, especially our key players,” Le Roy admitted. “But we finished well. Dominique Malonga had a chance to win it at the end — a match point. So overall, it’s a good draw.”
Congo’s result leaves them with a solid platform in Group A, but Le Roy’s comments once again highlight the organisational challenges that have often marred AFCON tournaments. For now, his team will look to build on their opening performance as they prepare to face Gabon in their next group match.
