Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard was unhappy despite his team’s 3-1 demolition of the Democratic Republic of Congo in last night’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. The Elephants are bidding to claim their second Afcon title in the Sunday’s final.
Three goals from Yaya Toure, Gervinho and Serge Wilfried Kanon ensured that Ivory Coast advanced to the final, with the DRC’s goal scored by Dieumerci Mbokani. The Elephants have only won one Afcon title back in 1992, when they beat Ghana on penalties, but they didn’t have the same luck on penalty shootouts on two other occasions – in 2006 when they lost to Egypt in Senegal, and three years ago when they were defeated by Zambia in Gabon.
Coach Renard moved closer to a second Africa Cup of Nations triumph. He is hoping to become only the third coach after Ghanaian Charles Gyafmi and Egyptian Hassan Shehata to win the Afcon tournament more than once.
Renard led outsiders Zambia to glory three years ago with a penalty shootout final victory over his current employers.
Despite the convincing victory, the Frenchman feels the team didn’t follow his instructions.
“To be fair with you, I didn’t like the game. I think we didn’t do all the things we learnt. We were sometimes too early. Maybe we didn’t respect sometime the opponent. I always said this team came back from behind against Congo Brazaville.”
Chelsea-bound forward and the most expensive African footballer, Wilfried Bony, has already scored two goals. He is very pleased they reached the final.
The Elephants will meet hosts Equatorial Guinea or favourites Ghana in Sunday’s final.
The host nation and Ghana clash in the second semifinal later on Thursday evening.
– By Vincet Sitsula
