D.R. Congo down Guinea to fly into AFCON semi-finals

The National Elephants suffered a resounding 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Abidjan, securing the latter's spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals. Sebastien Desabre's team showcased their dominance by clinching their fourth consecutive victory over Guinea.

After securing their first-ever knockout victory in the current format of the AFCON against Equatorial Guinea in the last 16, Kaba Diawara's team understood the importance of delivering another strong performance against D.R. Congo.

The initial stages of the match were played at a frenetic pace, and although Yoane Wissa missed a golden opportunity for the Leopards, Guinea was awarded a controversial penalty after Chancel Mbemba pushed Mohamed Bayo.

Bayo, who had scored the winning goal in the previous round, confidently stepped up to take the penalty and deceived Lionel Mpasi, giving Guinea the lead.

Eager to make up for his mistake, Mbemba responded swiftly just seven minutes later, unleashing a clinical strike into the top corner of the net after Arthur Masuaku's corner was not properly dealt with by the Guinean defense.

This goal spurred Desabre's team on as halftime approached, and DR Congo came agonizingly close to taking the lead when Cedric Bakambu narrowly missed redirecting a tempting delivery from Masuaku towards the far post.

The Leopards carried their momentum into the early stages of the second half, and their efforts were rewarded shortly after the hour mark when substitute Silas was fouled in the box by Julian Jeanvier during a powerful run.

Wissa confidently converted the penalty from 12 yards, placing the ball into the bottom-left corner and giving D.R. Congo a narrow advantage with 20 minutes remaining.

Guinea attempted to summon the same fighting spirit that led them to a late victory in their previous match, but it was D.R. Congo who celebrated a third goal with eight minutes left on the clock.

Masuaku, who had been influential throughout the game, scored a magnificent long-range free-kick that dipped at the last moment, deceiving Ibrahim Kone.

This moment of brilliance extinguished any hopes of a late Guinean comeback, allowing D.R. Congo to comfortably navigate the remaining minutes and secure their place in the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 2015.