The 4-3 defeat by DR Congo in Abidjan during the CAN 2015 qualifiers was more than an upset. It was a capitulation; a footballing disaster that this new generation Ivory Coast squad would like to forget and pretend never happened.
The 3rd-ranked team in Africa getting outclassed and outscored by the 13th-ranked team in their own backyard is not something that happens everyday in football.
Nonetheless, it did happen, and could happen again as the two teams meet again in the first semi final of this year’s tournament to be played at the Estadio de Bata on Wednesday. Who is to say that the Congolese can not find the formula to once again humiliate the giants? After all, the stakes are much higher than last time.
However, there are plenty of reasons for fans of The Elephants to be optimistic of their team’s chances against DR Congo and their AFCON 2015 trophy push in general. Their last two AFCON games represent a tremendous upturn in fortunes (and form) for the Elephants, having managed to dump imperious Cameroon out of the tournament courtesy of a 1-0 win and having thrashed Algeria 3-1.
If Wilfried Bony, Gervinho and co. keep their heads up and continue to deliver for the Elephants, the glittering CAN 2015 trophy is very much a possibility. Much responsibility is also placed on the shoulders of big man Yaya Toure to continue guiding the Ivorians forward in the absence of retiree Didier Drogba.
The Congolese, on the other hand, will hope they can count on the blistering form of the likes of Bolasie and Mbokani to steer them past Ivory Coast and into the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals to face either of Ghana or hosts Equatorial Guinea.
Ivory Coast XI: Gbohouo, K. Toure, Tiene, Kanon, Aurier, Bailly, Die, Y. Toure, Gradel, Gervinho, Bony
DR Congo XI: Kidiaba; Mpeko, Zakuani, Mongongu, Kasusula; Makiadi, Mbemba, Mabwati, Bolasie; Mbokani, Bokila
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