NAIROBI – Guinea’s fairytale run at the African Nations Championship ended on Wednesday with a 5-4 defeat on penalties to DR Congo in the first semi-final in Rwanda.
Meshack Elia scored the winning penalty to sent the Congolese into Sunday’s final, where they will meet either the Ivory Coast or Mali.
Jonathan Bolingi gave DR Congo the lead just before half-time in extra-time, and although Ibrahima Sankhon forced a shoot-out, Guinea bowed out in agonising fashion.
In a tense match at Kigali’s Amahoro national stadium, Guinea, making only their first appearance in the biennial competition, had the better of the game in the first half.
They dominated possession, with Moussa Diawara and Sankhon both going very close, forcing the Leopards’ keeper Ley Matampi into fine saves.
The overworked Congolese stopper earned a yellow card though for handling the ball outside his area.
DR Congo regrouped in the second half, and could have gone ahead in the 53rd minute when Bolingi’s powerful shot was blocked by Guinean defender Sory Bangoura.
Three minutes later Lomalisa Mutambala saw his curling free-kick fly narrowly off target when it appeared destined for the back of the net.
The two teams squandered numerous scoring opportunities as the game went into extra-time.
TP Mazembe striker Bolingi, who had an excellent game, put DR Congo into the lead when he headed home from close range in the 103rd minute.
Sankhon equalised for Guinea in the last minute of extra-time to extend the drama, but ultimately it was to no avail as they missed three penalties.
DR Congo defender Padou Bompunga, who scored the winning goal in the 2-1 extra-time victory against Rwanda in the quarter-final, picked up a second yellow card for the tournament and will miss the final on Sunday. – Nampa-AFP
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
