January 18, (THEWILL) – In a closely contested match at the 19 Mai 1956 Stadium in Annaba, DR Congo and Cote d’Ivoire played to a 0-0 draw in their second Group B match of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship.
Both teams came into the game with high hopes of securing a victory to keep their tournament hopes alive, with DR Congo having drawn their first match 0-0 against Uganda, and Cote d’Ivoire suffering a 1-0 defeat to Senegal.
Cote d’Ivoire had the first opportunity in the 20th minute, but Vignon Ouotro’s shot lacked accuracy. DR Congo’s Jean Mundele had a chance to score in the 24th minute, but his effort was saved by Cote d’Ivoire’s goalkeeper, Ayayi Folly. Chances by Ouotro and Sidiki Mohamed also went begging.
In the second half, both teams continued to push for a goal, with DR Congo seemingly having the upper hand with their quick passing game. However, the Ivorians found themselves under pressure in the closing stages of the match after Mohamed Zougrana was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Phillippes Kinzumbi.
The result sees both teams maintaining their positions in Group B, with DR Congo remaining in second place, and Cote d’Ivoire staying at the bottom. Up next for the Ivorians is a decisive match against Uganda in Baraki, while DR Congo will face Senegal in Annaba, in what promises to be a tight race for Group B. Both matches will take place on Sunday, January 22nd.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
