Ivory Coast vs DR Congo LIVE: Afcon semi-final result and reaction as Haller fires hosts into final

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:

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo LIVE

• FT: Haller’s volley guides hosts into Sunday’s final against Nigeria

• ‘65 GOAL! Haller puts hosts in front with volleyed finish (CIV 1-0 COD)

• ‘42 POST! Kessie strikes post with thunderous strike (CIV 0-0 COD)

• ‘40 CHANCE! Haller spurns golden opportunity (CIV 0-0 COD)

The final is set

22:13 , Ben Fleming

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

22:03 , Ben Fleming

A wonderful strike from Haller to put his side into the final:

FULL-TIME: Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:57 , Ben Fleming

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

21:56 , Ben Fleming

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

21:53 , Ben Fleming

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

21:53 , Ben Fleming

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

21:51 , Ben Fleming

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

21:45 , Ben Fleming

84 mins: Amani tries his luck from range but pulls his effort well wide from distance.

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:42 , Ben Fleming

80 mins: Ivory Coast make a change of their own, now, as we enter the final ten minutes of this game. Bamba replaces Adringra who has had a good game alongside Gradel and Haller in attack.

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:40 , Ben Fleming

78 mins: An immediate response from DR Congo as Ellia as volleys just wide from the edge of the box. That will be his last contribution of the game as he makes way for Silas.

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:36 , Ben Fleming

75 mins: Both sides head to their respective benches for a cooling break. A much-needed change for DR Congo to regroup as they go in search of an equaliser to keep their Afcon hopes alive.

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:33 , Ben Fleming

71 mins: CLOSE! A misplaced header from the DR Congo defence plays through Haller but his audacious chip - with Mpasi off his line - goes just wide.

So close to a vital second for the Ivorian striker.

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

21:31 , Ben Fleming

69 mins: The hosts almost double their lead from a set-piece but Haller’s near-post header drifts over the bar.

In response, DR Congo make a triple change as Banza, Tshibola and Mayele come on for Bakambu, Pickel and Wissa.

GOAL! Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo (Haller, 65 mins)

21:26 , Ben Fleming

The hosts hit the front!

Gradel hits the right byline and finds Haller at the back post but it’s an audacious, volleyed finish from the striker who fires his strike into the ground and sends it looping past Mpasi into the far corner.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:24 , Ben Fleming

62 mins: Ndicka peels off to the back post from the corner but he can’t find the target with his header.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:22 , Ben Fleming

61 mins: Ivory Coast make a double change as Ibrahim Sangare and Amani come on for Seri and Fofana.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:20 , Ben Fleming

59 mins: SAVE! Strong hands from Mpasi as he palms away Kessi’e fierce strike from the edge of the box.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:20 , Ben Fleming

58 mins: Ivory Coast come forward for what feels like the first time in the second half but Haller fouls Mbemba as he competes for the header and DR Congo will have a free-kick.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:15 , Ben Fleming

53 mins: Ivory Coast ended the first half fully on top but DR Congo have been really bright since the interval.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:10 , Ben Fleming

48 mins: Almost an instant impact from Bongonda off the bench as the Congolese attacker weaves into the box before firing into the side netting from a tight angle.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

21:06 , Ben Fleming

46 mins: A crunch second half awaits as DR Congo get us back underway after the break.

One change for DR Congo at the break as Bongonda comes on for Kakuta.

Nigeria beat South Africa on penalties to reach AFCON final after VAR drama

20:53 , Ben Fleming

A place in Sunday’s final against Nigeria awaits the winner of tonight’s game.

The Super Eagles reached an eighth Africa Cup of Nations final after winning 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

HALF-TIME: Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:50 , Ben Fleming

And that’s that for the first half. An even contest for the most part, but the hosts will feel they should be ahead after those huge chances for Haller and Kessie late on in the piece.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:47 , Ben Fleming

45 mins: There will be three minutes of added time.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:43 , Ben Fleming

42 mins: POST! Another let-off for DR Congo as Kessie’s sweetly-hit strike cannons back off the left post.

The hosts are firmly on top now.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:41 , Ben Fleming

40 mins: CHANCE! A golden opportunity for Haller and he has to score. It’s a pinpoint cross from Singo and the Ivorian striker is unmarked in the box but inexplicably fires wide with Mpasi rooted to the spot.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:37 , Ben Fleming

36 mins: A teasing ball in from Adingra can’t find an Ivory Coast head before Haller takes a poor touch and sends an overhead kick over the bar.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:35 , Ben Fleming

33 mins: Masuaka swings in a cross from the left but the Ivorian defence stands firm. Forward the hosts go on the counter but Moutassamy does well to shepherd Haller and the ball out for a goal-kick.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:30 , Ben Fleming

29 mins: SAVE! A great save from Fofana to deny Wissa from close range but the offside flag would have gone up regardless.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:25 , Ben Fleming

24 mins: Bakambu attempts an overhead kick after controlling a cross from the left but his effort is blocked behind for a corner. It’s another good cross but Fofana, somewhat unconvincingly, punches the ball clear.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:21 , Ben Fleming

20 mins: Kakuta’s strike from range is blocked, with Fofana making the save easily.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:19 , Ben Fleming

18 mins: CLOSE! The best chance of the game so far as Adingra rises superbly to meet a cross in from the right but his effort goes just wide of the post, with Mpasi rooted to the spot.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:17 , Ben Fleming

16 mins: Mpasi punches the corner clear but only as far as Singo. His effort, on the turn, is blocked well by the Congolese defenders.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:13 , Ben Fleming

12 mins: Gradel looks to get a cross in down the right but it’s defended smartly by Masuaku.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:11 , Ben Fleming

9 mins: DISALLOWED! Bakambu has the ball in the back of the net but it won’t stand as the ball was kicked out of Fofana’s hands prior to the striker’s finish.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:09 , Ben Fleming

7 mins: Elia breaks down the right for DR Congo but the ball is cleared out for a corner. The cross in is a dangerous one and Haller has to respond well to clear the ball out at the near post.

Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:06 , Ben Fleming

5 mins: A quiet start to this game but Ivory Coast are enjoying the lion’s share of possession in the early stages.

KICK-OFF! Ivory Coast 0-0 DR Congo

20:01 , Ben Fleming

1 min: And we are underway here in the second semi-final.

Closing in on kick-off

19:55 , Ben Fleming

Just five minutes to go - which team will join Nigeria in Sunday’s final?

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo

19:55 , Sonia Twigg

The players are making their way out onto the field, the stands are decked in a sea of orange and it’s almost time for the match, but first there will be national anthems.

Ivory Coast looking to buck the trend

19:49 , Ben Fleming

Ivory Coast must surely be feeling the pressure as the host nation and favourites for tonight’s clash. However, the record of host nations in this stage of the competition does not make for pretty reading.

On the last three occasions that the Africa Cup of Nations host nation has reached the semi-final, they have been eliminated without scoring a goal: Ghana in 2008 (lost 1-0 to Cameroon), Equatorial Guinea in 2015 (lost 3-0 to Ghana) and Cameroon in 2021 (drew 0-0 with Egypt and lost 3-1 on pens).

The last host to reach the final was Egypt in 2006.

A long wait for DR Congo

19:42 , Ben Fleming

This stage of the competition is unfamiliar territory for the Congolese team in recent years.

In fact, should they reach the Africa Cup of Nations final, it would be their first final since 1974 which would represent the biggest gap between a nation reaching AFCON finals, with Tunisia currently having the longest wait between 1965 and 1996.

Can they make history tonight against the hosts?

Last time out for DR Congo

19:35 , Ben Fleming

Having come through a penalty shootout win against Eygyt, DR Congo booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations thanks to a 3-1 win over Guinea.

Guinea took the lead after just 20 minutes but The Leapards fought back superbly, equalising just seven minutes later through captain Chancel Mbemba’s cool left-footed finish.

Brentford striker Yoanne Wissa tucked away a second-half penalty before Arthur Masuaku secured the win, taking his side through to their first semi-final since 2015.

Last time out for Ivory Coast

19:25 , Ben Fleming

Hosts Ivory Coast kept up their incredible escape act at the Africa Cup of Nations as they came from behind to beat Mali 2-1 in their quarter-final, scoring a last-gasp goal in extra time to book a semi-final with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Oumar Diakite got a touch to Seko Fofana’s strike to win the game for the Ivorians, who played with 10 men for most of the match after Odilon Kossounou was sent off shortly before half-time.

Mali had taken a 71st-minute lead through Nene Dorgeles but the home team, roared on by the crowd at the Stade de la Paix, fought back and equalised through Simon Adingra in the 90th minute to force extra time.

Diakite then scored the winner before being sent off for a second booking by taking his shirt off in celebration. Mali’s Hamari Traore was also shown a red card at the final whistle.

Ivory Coast continue Africa Cup of Nations escape act to sneak into semi-finals

Team news

19:15 , Ben Fleming

Four changes for Ivory Coast. In defence, Aurier and the suspended Kossounou make way for Ndicka and Singa, while further forward Haller and Adingra are preferred to Kouame and Pepe.

One change, meanwhile, for DR Congo as Kakuta returns in place of Bongonda.

The starting XIs are in!

19:02 , Ben Fleming

Team news coming shortly

18:55 , Ben Fleming

Just five minutes to go until the team news hits - will there be any surprises?

We’ll find out shortly...

Samuel Eto’o’s resignation rejected as Cameroon corruption crisis deepens

18:45 , Ben Fleming

Samuel Eto’o tendered his resignation as president of the Cameroon Football Federation on Monday only to have it rejected by its executive committee.

Eto’o, who was named the African player of the year a record four times, has been dogged by allegations of improper conduct, match-fixing and corruption.

The federation said its executive committee met in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, on Monday to evaluate the national team’s performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, and that the meeting started with Eto’o offering to step down while inviting the other members “to do likewise in good faith.”

Eto’o, who celebrated with the team after the dramatic win over Gambia in their final group game, has been dogged by corruption allegations in the last year.

Samuel Eto’o’s resignation rejected as Cameroon corruption crisis deepens

‘Resurrected’ Ivory Coast were gifted Africa Cup of Nations reprieve – now they could go on to win it

18:35 , Ben Fleming

Sacked a manager, and then beat the entire continent. It would make a redemption story improbable enough to make the Mighty Ducks, the Karate Kid or even Rocky blush but it’s what Ivory Coast are facing the prospect of at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The hosts of this year’s tournament were within a whisker of being knocked out embarrassingly early on home soil but a brave decision looks to have become an inspired one, with the Elephants now just 90 minutes away from their first Afcon final in almost a decade.

This, after being only injury time away from an ignominious exit. From the group stage, the top two go through – and so do four of the six third-placed teams. In other words, only the worst eight nations from the starting 24 fail to make the knockouts at the Afcon, and Ivory Coast put themselves firmly on course to be in that collection after a win and two defeats.

Read Karl Matchett’s preview:

‘Resurrected’ Ivory Coast were gifted Afcon reprieve – now they could go on to win it

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo betting tips

18:25 , Ben Fleming

Ivory Coast must be wondering if their name is already on the trophy at the Africa Cup of Nations with the hosts having experienced a remarkable and unlikely run through to Wednesday’s semi-final against DR Congo (8pm GMT, BBC Three & Sky Sports).

The Elephants had looked set for a shock early exit from the 34th edition of the tournament after losing two of their three group games, including their heaviest-ever home defeat – a 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea.

But having scraped into the last-16 as one of the best third-placed sides from the group stage, Ivory Coast have gone on to eliminate defending champions Senegal and Mali, coming from behind in both instances to advance.

But in a tournament that’s been full of surprises so far, the host’s luck could run out against a well-organised and determined opponent in DR Congo.

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo predictions: Africa Cup of Nations betting tips, odds & free bets

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo - early team news

18:15 , Ben Fleming

The Ivory Coast will be without Oumar Diakite and Odilon Kossounou after they received red cards against Mali.

Sebastien Haller may be fit enough to start following his spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

DRC have no new reported injury concerns.

We are expecting confirmed XI’s in about 45 minutes.

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo - all the key info

18:05 , Ben Fleming

When is it?

Ivory Coast vs DRC will kick off at 8pm GMT on Wednesday 7 February 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.

How can I watch it?

The match will be shown live in the UK on BBC Three with coverage starting at 7.45pm GMT, as well as Sky Sports Football.

The match will also be shown live on the BBC Sport and BBC iPlayer apps and website and Sky subscribers can watch the game live on the Sky Go app.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Is Ivory Coast v DR Congo on TV? How to watch Africa Cup of Nations semi-final

Good evening

15:00 , Ben Fleming

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash between Ivory Coast and DR Congo.

The hosts have endured a topsy-turvy tournament, scraping through the group stages after sacking their manager but have now reached the final four after a dramatic win against Mali.

DR Congo, meanwhile, drew all three of their group-stage games before knocking out Egypt on penalties and beating Guinea 3-1 in the quarter-finals. The Leopards last won the tournament in 1974.

Stay with us for all the build-up, team news and match action!