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Ivory Coast fancied to continue Afcon revival

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The Elephants, despite a stuttering start to the tournament, have set up a semifinal clash with DR Congo tomorrow.

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Afcon hosts Ivory Coast look like a revitalised side after their come-from-behind knockout round successes over holders Senegal and neighbours Mali. (AP pic)

ABIDJAN:
Hosts Ivory Coast are fancied to continue their remarkable revival at the Africa Cup of Nations and ride a frenzied wave of home support as they seek a place in the final with victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The two meet in Abidjan tomorrow just hours after Nigeria face South Africa in Bouake in the first semifinal. The winners advance to Sunday’s final in Abidjan.

The Ivorians have put aside their stuttering start to the tournament, including a humiliating 4-0 loss in the group stage to tiny Equatorial Guinea, to reach the final four, roared on by capacity home crowds.

They return to Abidjan’s Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium, which is where they delivered timid performances in the group stage but now look like a revitalised side after their come-from-behind knockout round successes over holders Senegal and neighbours Mali.

“We were at the bottom of a hole after losing to Equatorial Guinea. We had to wait for the (rest of the) group matches to (finish to) find out whether we qualified, which happened. After all that we endured, we are no longer afraid of anything,” said influential Ivorian midfielder Seko Fofana.

“After the Equatorial Guinea match we were insulted and we felt alone. But we managed to get through. Champions always manage to advance,” he added.

The Ivorians take on a Congolese outfit who drew four successive matches before their 3-1 quarterfinal win over Guinea.

They had set advancing from their group, which they did despite three draws, as their primary ambition for the tournament so anything they achieve now is a bonus.

“But now we are in the semifinals, it would be stupid not to believe we can go on and get into the final,” said coach Sebastien Desabre. The Congolese won the second of their two Afcon triumphs 50 years ago when the country was known as Zaire.

Nigeria have won all three previous meetings with South Africa at past Afcon finals, the last in the 2019 quarterfinal in Cairo.

Both sides have kept clean sheets through their last four outings at the tournament and had beaten difficult opponents to reach the semis.

Nigeria edged the Ivorians in the group stage and Cameroon in the last 16 while South Africa eliminated pre-tournament favourites Morocco.

“I think Nigeria is a team that has become better and better,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos.

Nigeria are playing in a record 15th semifinal at the Afcon, but they have only progressed from one of their last six at this stage of the competition, going on to win the competition in South Africa in 2013.

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