Congo coach overwhelmed by ‘historic’ championship

There was more to celebrate for African coaches at the just-ended African Nations Championship (Chan) in Kigali, Rwanda with locally-bred tacticians finishing first and second at the fourth edition of the domestic players’ tournament on Sunday. Even more to celebrate for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) was that their authoritative 3-0 final procession over Mali at Amahoro Stadium underlined their steady ascendancy on the continent.
The two-time African champions finished third at the 2015 Nations Cup.

They also saw TP Mazembe, the country’s most powerful club and best in Africa for last six years, (three Caf Champions League titles in the said period to back the claim), clinch the continental club honours again last year.
In marching to the most comfortable of final victories here against a hitherto unbeaten Mali and claiming their second Chan title since their first in 2009, DR Congo were coming of age. And they will surely be gunning for 2017 Afcon trophy at this rate, once the small matter of qualification is done with.

Amidst all this is the disarmingly calm DRC coach, Florent Ibenge, who led the Leopards to last year’s bronze at Afcon.

Here he was now, lifting the Chan title thanks to a brace from the electrifying Elia Meschak and a late strike by Jonathan Bolingi.

Lost for words
“Personally, I’m lost for words,” said Ibenge, who vied for the title with his Mali opposite Djibril Drame –the second time two African coaches were battling in the final and third in four editions they were winning it.
“The joy I feel in my heart cannot be described. It is historic for us and for this generation of players, it is a good boost for their careers.

“The most important element has been the level of Fair Play exhibited at the tournament. Even when we beat the host nation (Rwanda) at the quarter finals, the locals cheered us on as we made way from the stadium to our hotel. This is not something you see in Kinshasa.”

The top three countries also served to remind us that their feat was no accident. While DR Congo and their clubs TP Mazembe and AS Vita’s continental exploits cannot be overstated, Mali were 2015 U-17 World Cup finalists and U-20 World Cup semifinalists.

“DR Congo deserves the victory,” said a graceful Drame, the Mali coach, “They are a different team from the others we played against.

“At the previous Chan, we were eliminated at the quarter finals. This time, we were losing finalists. Why not win it the next time in 2018?”

PRIZE MONEY
DRC: $750,000 (Shs2.6b)
Mali: $400,000 (Shs1.4b)
Semifinal losers: $250,000 each (Shs855m)
Quarter-final losers: $175,000 each (Shs598m)
3rd in Group: $125,000 each (Shs427m)
4th in Group: $100,000 (Shs342m)

CHAN 2016 STANDINGS

P W L D GF GA Pts
Group A
Rwanda 3 2 1 0 4 5 6
Cote d’Ivoire 3 2 1 0 5 2 6
Morocco 3 1 1 1 4 2 4
Gabon 3 0 2 1 2 6 1
Group B
Cameroon 3 2 0 1 4 1 7
DR Congo 3 2 1 0 8 5 6
Angola 3 1 2 0 4 6 3
Ethiopia 3 0 2 1 1 5 1

Group C
Tunisia 3 1 0 2 8 3 5
Guinea 3 1 0 2 5 4 5
Nigeria 3 1 1 1 5 3 4
Niger 3 0 2 1 3 11 1

Group D
Zambia 3 2 0 1 2 0 7
Mali 3 1 0 2 3 2 5
Uganda 3 0 1 2 3 4 4
Zimbabwe 3 0 2 1 1 3 1
*Top two in each group progressed to quarterfinals

Quarterfinals

Rwanda 1-2 DR Congo
Cameroon 0-3 Ivory Coast
Tunisia 1-2 Mali
Zambia 0 (4)-0 (5) Guinea

RESULTS - SEMIFINALS
DR Congo 1 (5)-1 (4) Guinea
Mali 1-0 Cote d’Ivoire

THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF
Guinea 1-2 Cote d’voire

FINAL

DR Congo 3-0 Mali

Top scorers CHART
Ahmed Akaichi Tunisia 4
Elvis Chisom Chikatara Nigeria 4
Meschak Elia DR Congo 4
Ernest Sugira Rwanda 3

Abdelghani Mouaoui Morocco 2

Alseny Kamara Guinea 2

Ary Papel Angola 2
Saad Bguir Tunisia 2

Yazid Emane Atouba Cameroon 2

Farouk Miya Uganda 1
Geoffrey Sserunkuma Uganda 1
Erisa Ssekisambu Uganda 1
Sylla Aboubacar Guinea 1
Aali Maaloul Tunisia 1
Aaron Salem Boupendza Gabon 1
Abdelaadim Khadrouf Morocco 1

Abdoulaye Diarra Mali 1
Aboubacar Bangoura Guinea 1
Adje Zakari Adebayor Niger 1
Aka Essis Beaudelaire Ivory Coast 1