Congo DR reached the CAF Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals for the first time in eight years as they beat Guinea 3-1 on Friday night at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.
They will play the winner between hosts Ivory Coast and Mali who meet in an all-West African affair on Saturday.
Both teams were aiming to reach the semi-finals. The DRC last made the semis in 2015, while Guinea have never reached the last four, though did finish second 48 years ago in a round-robin competition.
It was Guinea who threatened immediately and the West African neighbours of the hosts, thought they had a penalty in the opening minute for a handball, though neither the referee nor VAR intervened. Two minutes later Yoane Wissa pounced on defensive miscommunication at the other end but toe-poked his attempt just wide of goal.
DRC midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy had a great chance from the edge of the area in the 13th minute but his effort was well blocked by Mouctar Diakhaby.
Guinea would strike first as they were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute when Mohamed Lamine Bayo was adjudged to have been pushed by Chancel Mbemba. Bayo picked himself up to take the spot kick, and the Le Havre striker sent Lionel Mpasi the wrong way, to make it 1-0.
But the DRC skipper would make up for his error just a few minutes later, when in the 27th minute, Mbemba received the ball at the far post from a corner and fired home from an acute angle with his left foot.
Just before the end of the regulation 45, Cedric Bakambu did well to get a foot onto the end of a free kick but his touch sent the ball just wide of Ibrahim Kone’s goal.
There were six additional minutes before the break, and two minutes in Bayo had a chance to add his second for Guinea, but a good block from Henock Inonga Baka denied him. When the half-time whistle was blown it remained 1-1.
Early chances were missed at both ends as the second half kicked off, while Wissa’s free-kick attempt in the 49th minute was deflected behind. Three minutes later the same player went wide with a curling effort from the right of goal and after a dangerous corner he was off target again in the 56th minute.
After just coming on, Facinet Conté had a great chance for Guinea in the 61st minute, but with only the keeper to beat, he lost control of the ball.
Barely a minute later the DRC were awarded a penalty for a foul by Julian Jeanvier on Silas Katompa. Wissa was given the responsibility and fired in past Kone to give the Central Africans the lead for the first time.
Diakhaby’s header in the 70th minute was comfortably saved by Mpasi, as Congo looked to hold onto the result, defensively doing well to limit the Guineans’ efforts at goal, and looking more likely to score.
And that the Congolese did, as Arthur Masuaku’s direct shot from a free kick surprised an out-of-position Kone, and it was 3-1 in the 82nd minute.
Jeanvier’s stoppage-time shot flew over as Guinea applied some late pressure but when the final whistle was blown by the Algerian referee, Sebastien Desabre’s side had booked their spot in the last four.
Earlier on Friday, Nigeria booked their spot in the last four as they beat Angola 1-0 thanks to Ademola Lookman’s strike. The Super Eagles await the winner in Saturday’s quarter-final between Bafana Bafana and Cape Verde.