Ivory Coast vs DR Congo LIVE: Afcon semi-final result and reaction as Haller fires hosts into final
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo: Tournament hosts will play Nigeria in Sunday’s final after a narrow semi-final victory
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Ivory Coast booked their place in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations after Sebastian Haller’s second-half strike saw them win 1-0 against DR Congo
The hosts, who lost two of their group stages and sacked their managed mid-tournament, grew into the encounter and were unlucky not to be ahead at the break after Haller fired wide with a header and Frank Kessie struck the post.
However, the key breakthrough arrived after the break when Haller volleyed Max Gradel’s cross into the ground, the ball looping up and over a helpless Lionel Mpasi.
Ivory Coast, who last won the tournament in 2015, will take on Nigeria in Sunday’s final after the Super Eagles won on penalties against South Africa earlier in the day.
Relive all the action below:
Sebastien Haller sends hosts Ivory Coast into Africa Cup of Nations final
Sebastien Haller fired hosts Ivory Coast into the final of the Africa Cup of Nations and to within one match of the ultimate redemption after beating DR Congo 1-0.
The Elephants had been on the brink of elimination at the group stage, sacked their manager before being reprieved two days later as the fourth best third-placed finishers.
They then came back from behind to beat Senegal in the last 16 and needed a 90th-minute equaliser and a winner with the last kick of the match to get past Mali in the quarter-final.
Now Haller’s goal has seen them reach the final for a fifth time and if interim boss Emerse Fae, who replaced Jean-Louis Gasset after the humiliating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, can inspire them to victory over Nigeria on Sunday it will cap surely the most remarkable turn of fortunes in any major international tournament.
Sebastien Haller sends hosts Ivory Coast into Africa Cup of Nations final
The Elephants will play Nigeria in the showpiece.
Nigeria beat South Africa on penalties to reach AFCON final after VAR drama
Ivory Coast’s opponents in the final will be Nigeria after the Super Eagles won a drama-fuelled last-four clash with South Africa on penalties.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was the hero for Nigeria after he saved efforts by Teboho Mokoena and Evidence Makgopa in a 4-2 shoot-out win, which only told half the story of an extraordinary clash where VAR was at the forefront of the action.
Nigeria thought they had booked their place in the final when Victor Osimhen tapped home in the 85th minute to add to William Troost-Ekong’s second-half penalty, but referee Amin Omar was told to intervene.
A review of the goal showed South Africa’s Percy Tau had been fouled inside the penalty area at the start of the move and the score went from 2-0 to Nigeria to 1-1 when Mokoena made no mistake from 12 yards.
South Africa defender Grant Kekana also received his marching orders towards the end of extra-time before Nwabali made the difference to fire the 2013 winners into another final.
Read the full report below:
Nigeria beat South Africa on penalties to reach AFCON final after VAR drama
Nigeria won 4-2 on penalties after a VAR-dominated semi-final showdown with South Africa
The final is set
So it will be Ivory Coast against Nigeria in Sunday’s final. The tournament hosts last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, while the Super Eagles are back in the final for the first time since winning the tournament in 2013.
What a game that promises to be.
The winning moment
A wonderful strike from Haller to put his side into the final:
FULL-TIME: Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
The hosts hold on and are into Sunday’s final!
Haller’s second-half strike is the difference between the two sides in a tight, closely fought affair.
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
90+4 mins: CLOSE! Bamba rounds Mpasi as he storms into the area but Inonga makes the vital clearance as the Ivorian looked to cross to one of his teammates for a simple tap-in.
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
90+2 mins: A speculative effort from Banza on the spin but it’s high and well over the bar from the Congolese substitute.
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
90+1 mins: Into the first of five added minutes we go as Ivory Coast look to hold on to their one-goal advantage.
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
90 mins: A double change for Ivory Coast late on as potential match-winner Haller and Gradel are substituted for Krasso and Boga.
Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo
84 mins: Amani tries his luck from range but pulls his effort well wide from distance.
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