DRC-Côte d'Ivoire is the clash of Group B for the second day of the group stage of the 7th edition of CHAN. A shock of fear for these two great countries of African soccer because the defeat is forbidden. Indeed, having failed to win their respective first games, both teams could, in case of defeat, reduce significantly, if not completely, their chances of qualification for the quarterfinals.
The pressure is more on the Ivory Coast for which a defeat would be synonymous with an elimination after losing its first match against Senegal (0-1), unlike the DRC which, even in case of defeat, will certainly put itself in difficulty for the continuation but could keep a small hope of qualification thanks to its point gained during the first day after the draw against Uganda (0-0).
Changes expected in the Leopards' starting line-up
After a lackluster game against Uganda on the first day, the Congolese were strongly criticized by their supporters, especially the coach, Otis Ngoma, on some choices he had to make during the game. During his press conference on Tuesday, the coach of the Leopards announced some changes in his starting eleven for this crucial match against the Coast without however turning the whole team upside down. "We do not have a problem of men. In the first game we lined up the team that, considering the preparation we had to do, was the best. Unfortunately we had a very bad start.
Today, if we have to change the team, we have to ask ourselves why we have to do it because the same players qualified the team. What is true is that there are some boys who are here for the first time and for whom the pressure of the competition is very great. We know that there are some players who were not up to the task against Uganda and we will make some changes in the starting eleven but I will not reveal it here. There will be changes for various reasons including those related to health, " he said before their second outing in this CHAN.
The 61-year-old coach also announced the resolution of the problem related to the spikes that had bothered the Leopards during the first day. "I think we did not take all the dimension of this preparation from the beginning. Normally as professionals, we should have known that we were going to play on hybrid fields and that we had to prepare the appropriate shoes. But unfortunately most of our players did not have it. We urgently informed the federation of this problem and we made an order in Algiers. We think that the players will have suitable shoes for this match against Côte d'Ivoire," he said. What to go to the conquest of a third CHAN for the DRC after 2009 and 2016.
Ivorians determined
The Ivorians on the other hand will be on a commando mission against the Congolese. They have not managed to record a single point. This despite a good match against Senegal in the first day of the CHAN. This does not discourage them, according to their coach, Soualiho Haïdara. The latter spoke of the determination of his team to snatch the qualification for the quarterfinals. "We were aware from the beginning that the qualification was going to be played on all three matches of the group stage. It was not an admission of helplessness but it was from experience. It is true that we are in unfavorable ballot with zero points on the counter, but the defeat against Senegal does not hinder our qualification for the quarterfinals", he first advances.
He then continues. "Maybe even that this defeat will allow us to develop other aspects within our team especially in terms of fighting spirit. We come across a team of Congo which has a different profile from that of Senegal because there is much more power; but technically Senegal has many more assets and we will adapt to this way of playing" he said at the pre-game press conference. Twice winner of the competition, in 2009 and 2016, the DRC is the favorite. Especially since the best result of the Ivory Coast in the CHAN is a third place in 2016.
