AfconDR Congo

Congo qualified for this years Africa Cup of Nations as the best 3rd placed team in qualifying. DR Congo’s first and only win in AFCON 2015 till now has been their 4-2 win against Congo in the quarter-finals.

 

Congo_DR_FADR Congo was initially two goals down in the match but showed great courage to come back and score four goals in reply. Dieumerci Mbokani scored 2 while Jeremy Bokila and Joel Kimwaki scored one each.

 

 

DR Congo captain Youssuf Mulumbu

DR Congo captain Youssuf Mulumbu

In the group stages DR Congo drew all there 3 matches versus Tunisia, Zambia and Cape Verde. At the end of three matches they were on the same points as Cape Verde who had also drawn all their three matches but DR Congo went through on the virtue of having scored more goals in the group stages (2).

Jeremy Bokila and Dieumerci Mbokani have been the stand out players for DR Congo so far this tournament.

 

DR Congo incredible comeback vs Congo: –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWvUfZGXsg4

FIF_NewCrestIvory Coast

Les Elephants were “The” pre- tournament favourite to win it all. Ivory Coast had a tough qualifying campaign but made their way to the tournament finals after finishing second in their qualifying group.

Ivory Coast was drawn into one of the tougher group in this year’s tournament with Cameroon, Mali and Guinea. They won the group as group champions going undefeated but with only one win which came against Cameroon and two draws versus Mali and Guinea.

Ivory Coast captain Yaya Toure

Ivory Coast captain Yaya Toure

Ivory Coast had a real test in the quarters being drawn with another one of the pre-tournament favorites in Algeria. Ivorians managed to win the game 3-1 with two goals from Wilfred Bony and One from Gervinho.

Ivory Coast boasts some of the biggest names in African football but the so called big names haven’t made an impression so far, the likes of four time African footballer of the year Yaya Toure and Gervinho would have certainly been more useful to their respective clubs than they have been for their countries so far.

The newly signed Manchester City striker Wilfred Bony has also been below expectations but did score two crucial goals in the quarters that got the team past Algeria. Bony along with Max Gradel are the Ivoirians’ top scorers so far in this tournament.

Ivory Coast 3 – 1 Algeria :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMTyzznWgHI

Verdict

Match Date :- 4th February 2015

DR Congo and Ivory Coast are not meeting for the first time in this years’ tournament they were part of the same qualifying group and met twice in the qualifying group stages.

Ivory Coast won round 3 (2-1) while DR Congo won the 4th round (4-3).  The first and last time Ivory Coast won this tournament was back in 1992 when they beat fellow semi-finalists Ghana in an epic penalty shoot that ended 11-10.

Like Ivory Coast, DR Congo has also won the AFCON tournament only once in their history that too way back in 1968. Ivoirians certainly won’t be taking DR Congo lightly especially after seeing the way they fought back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 against Congo.

DR Congo vs Ivory Coast has all the essence for being a cracker. Ivory Coast should have enough to edge past DR Congo and perhaps the match could go to extra-time or even Penalties.

Prediction: – 2-1 Ivory Coast.

 

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