South Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo will be looking at bowing out in style of the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
Congo DR had been hoping to win against Cote d’Ivoire to get through to a first Cup of Nations final since they were champions as Zaire in 1974, half a century ago.
If they beat South Africa they will take the bronze medal, which would match their performances in 1998 and in 2015.
“The first feeling I have is one of disappointment, but when it comes to reflecting on our tournament it will be positive whatever happens,” said their French coach, Sebastien Desabre.
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“Even if we lost a game of football tonight, we did everything to try to win it.
“The spirit in the team is extraordinary. Of course they are disappointed but this will help us going forward.
“We are competitors. We are disappointed and we will need to remobilise quickly to try to get a medal.”
Both sides were knocked out of the title race during the semi-finals where Bafana Bafana were edged 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Nigeria, while DR Congo lost by a slim 1-0 margin against hosts, Cote d’Ivoire.
While both sides will be disappointed with the semi-final exit, the third and fourth place play off presents the perfect opportunity for either side to go home with the consolation of being the third best team of the competition.
