- Guinea last played at the AFCON semis in 1976
- They will play DR Congo in the quarters
- DR Congo have won the AFCON title twice
Guinea’s Sylli Nationale have not made it beyond the quarter finals since reaching the final at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1976. They have been eliminated in the last eight in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2015, but this time round, they are eager to make their chance count.
Head coach Kaba Diawara, who has led a transformation of the team over the last few years believes they have mentally prepared to tackle each match at the tournament and get favourable results.
“We are ready for the battle, both mentally and physically. We entered this AFCON conditioned to play seven finals. We are ready and even if it comes to penalties, we will go for it,” Diawara said after the match.
They take on DR Congo in the quarter finals at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpé, and with their eyes on history, head coach Diawara says their focus is sharp, though they take on a tough Congolese side.
Guinea midfielder confident
Guinea players during a training session. PHOTO/Guinea
Guinea Midfielder Amadou Diawara, himself keen to see his national team fly into the semis, says they have prepared well and the fitness of their star players Serhou Guirassy and Naby Keita gives them hope that they can do well.
“Against a compact Congolese team, we will have to be rigorous and efficient. The team that makes the least mistakes will go through,” Diawara states.
DR Congo are looking to clinch their third Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and the team believes they have their ability to do it.
Despite going through to the quarter finals without winning a single match from open play, DR Congo head coach Sebastian Desabre says the team is in high spirits as they take on a tricky Guinea side in Abidjan.
“The team is highly motivated. We know we can achieve more in this tournament, which, for me, is not the AFCON of surprises but of hard work. The boys are on a mission, and we will not give up under any circumstances,” Desabre, who was at the 2019 AFCON with Uganda said.
DR Congo seek third title
DR Congo head coach Sabastian Desabre. PHOTO/CAF
DR Congo have not gone past the quarter finals since they finished third in 2015 and they are determined to do better this time round.
Defender Gedeon Kalulu believes psychologically, they are ready to win the match.
“Certainly we can note two victories on the psychological front. The first is having beaten a top 5 side on penalties, and the second is not conceding many goals. So we are ready for the game. Everyone has the belief,” he noted.
Mohamed Bayo has scored two of Guinea’s three goals in the Africa Cup of Nations 2023. He could as well become the first Guinean to score 3 goals in a single AFCON since Pascal Feindouno in 2006 (4).
Meschack Elia has been directly involved in three of DR Congo’s last four goals in the Africa Cup of Nations (1 goal, 2 assists). He is the only player for the Leopards to have both scored (1) and provided an assist (1) in the last two participations for Les Leopards in the tournament (2019 and 2023).
This will be the fourth AFCON encounter between the nations, with DR Congo yet to beat Guinea in three previous group stage meetings, including a 2-1 loss in their last meeting in 2004.
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