Hosts Ivory Coast completed a remarkable tournament comeback, booking their place in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations final against Nigeria after beating Congo DR 1-0 at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan on Wednesday night.
They were almost dead and buried after the group stages and even fired Jean-Louis Gasset but snuck into the knockout stages as the last best third-place team.
Emerse Fae took over as interim and stunned Burkina Faso and Mali to reach this point.
Sunday’s final against Nigeria will be just what the home supporters wanted, but it was a tight affair against the impressive Congo DR side.
The Congolese, who as a team, used the national anthem to raise awareness of issues in the DRC, thought they had a goal in the ninth minute, but it was ruled out because of an infringement on Ivorian goalie Yahia Fofana.
The hosts went close in the 17th minute, when Simon Adingra rose well to head at goal, but couldn’t steer on target and it went just wide.
Yoane Wissa was denied by an excellent save by Fofana in the 28th minute, though it did look like Wissa was in an off-side position.
The Ivorians threatened to open the score in the 35th minute, with a good attack, but finally Sebastien Haller’s attempt at an overhead kick flew over the goal.
Five minutes later Haller had another great chance as he found himself unmarked at the end of a good cross, but he steered his header wide of Lionel Mpasi’s goal.
Captain Franck Kessie was denied by the upright in the 42nd minute, as the hosts went close to taking the lead. At the break it remained goalless, with the Ivorians ending stronger.
It was a bright start to the second half for Congo DR, and Théo Bongonda had a good chance in the 48th minute, but his shot struck the side netting.
Kessie was denied by a great save from Mpasi in the 58th minute, as the Ivorian captain fired in a powerful effort from just inside the area. Evan Ndicka’s header four minutes later missed.
But Haller was not denied to denied in the 65th minute, as his unorthodox shot bounced over a diving Mpasi and sent the home crowd into raptures.
The goalscorer went close again three minutes later, as the fans in the stands cheered Haller’s name, and in the 70th minute, after pouncing on a loose ball, he tried an audacious chip over Mpasi, but the ball went just wide of the upright.
Meschack Elia almost silenced the crowd with a long-range effort in the 77th minute, but his shot flew wide.
Lazare Amani’s 84th minute attempt was also off target as he tried to make sure of the result for the hosts.
They almost added a second in stoppage time, but when the final whistle blew the stadium erupted as the hosts somehow found themselves in the final, after such a disappointing start to the tournament.
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The DRC will play Bafana Bafana in the third/fourth playoff on Saturday before the big finale on Sunday.
