Sebastien Desabre: DR Congo Coach Confident Ahead of Clash With Ivory Coast in AFCON 2023 Semi-final

• DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre is a very confident manager
• The Leopards face Ivory Coast in an AFCON 2023 semi-final tonight
• Desabre stressed the importance of his team having an extra day of rest

Excitement fills the air as Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo gear up for an intense showdown tonight at 9 pm West African Time in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Yamoussoukro.

The matchup reignites a rivalry dating back to the 2015 AFCON, where the Elephants emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over the Leopards in the semifinal stage, thanks to goals from Gervinho, Yaya Toure, and Wilfried Kanon.

Ahead of tonight's clash, DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre has exuded a lot of confidence, downplaying any threat from the hosts.

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Desabre articulated his team's readiness to challenge the hosts for a spot in the final, stressing their determination to silence the home crowd.

Approaching the game calmly and patiently, Desabre highlighted his team's recovery after their victory against Guinea, stressing the importance of having an extra day of rest compared to their opponents.

“We approach this with calmness and patience. The boys have recovered well after beating Guinea. Having an extra day of rest compared to our opponent could also be key,” he said, as quoted on Complete Sports.

He acknowledged Ivory Coast's quality squad and depth despite missing four players, talking highly of their competitive spirit and determination to reach the final.

Ivory Coast and DR Congo had underwhelming performances in the group stage, each accumulating three points. However, they managed to advance to the knockout round and have since recorded upset wins to secure spots in the final four.

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Côte d'Ivoire overcame defending champions Senegal in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16 before staging a comeback victory against Mali in the quarterfinals, as reported by CAF.

Meanwhile, DR Congo defeated seven-time champions Egypt on penalties in the last 16 before eliminating Guinea in the quarters.

The previous encounter in the CAF African Nations Championship ended in a goalless draw, adding further anticipation to tonight's high-stakes semifinal showdown.

Ivory Coast determined to continue 'miraculous' run

Sports Brief reported that AFCON 2023 hosts Cote d’Ivoire were determined to continue their miraculous tournament run.

Ivory Coast's interim coach Emerse Fae urged his team to go into tonight’s AFCON semi-final against the DRC with the mindset that has allowed them to make "miraculous" recoveries.

Fae was put in charge following the sacking of Jean-Louis Gasset in the wake of the Ivorians' 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea in their final group game.