2015 AFRICA CUP - IVORY COAST - GROUP D - COACH RENARD RATES TEAM ETHIC OVER STARS

Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard says his team cannot rely only on Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure

18 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - GROUP B - DAY 02 - Zambia vs Congo DR - 1:1

Yannick Bolasie earned DR Congo a 1:1 draw against Zambia 

18 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - GROUP B - DAY 02 - Tunisia vs Cape Verde - 0:0

Tunisia had to settle for a point in their opener.

18 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - GROUP A - DAY 01 - EQUATORIAL GUINEA vs CONGO - 1:1

Thievy Bifouma scored late on for Congo to deny hosts Equatorial Guinea victory in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations at a packed Bata Stadium.

17 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - GROUP A - DAY 01 - BURKINA FASO vs GABON 0:2

Gabon began their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a win over 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso to go top of Group A

17 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - KICK OFF - GROUP A - DAY 01 - PREVIEW

Equatorial Guinea will kick-off the Africa Cup of Nations in two days.

16 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - GHANA - GYAN SEEKS FAIRYTALE

Host: Equatorial Guinea
Dates: 17 January - 08 February 2015

15 Jan 2015
STARS IN AFRICA - NIGERIA - STRIKER OSAGUONA SIGNS FOR RAJA CASABLANCA

Nigeria international Ighodaro Osaguona has joined Moroccan side Raja Casablanca from Enugu Rangers on a four-year deal, for an undisclosed fee.

14 Jan 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - SWANSEA SAY BONY’S MAN CITY MOVE NOT COMPLETE

Swansea City have criticised the Ivory Coast Football Federation for saying striker Wilfried Bony had completed his £28m transfer to Manchester City.

14 Jan 2015

2015 AFRICA CUP - CONGO - COACH LEROY BELIEVES THAT ONIANGUE CAN INSPIRE THE TEAM

AFRICA CUP 2015 GROUP A

Frenchman LeRoy has coached four different teams at seven editions of the tournament, winning the competition in 1998 with Cameroon.

And Oniangue feels LeRoy will inspire them in Equatorial Guinea.

"Most times he gets to the quarter-finals at least, so we can work knowing that target is very possible," he said.

LeRoy's Nations Cup record as coach
1986 - Runner-up with Cameroon
1988 - Winner with Cameroon
1990 - Semi-finalist with Senegal
1992 - Quarter-finalist with Senegal
2006 - Quarter-finalist with DR Congo
2008 - Third place with Ghana
2013 - Group stage with DR Congo

The 26-year-old Oniangue, who plays his club football in France for Reims, told BBC Sport he is confident LeRoy's knowledge of the tournament will help propel the team out of a group that contains the hosts, Burkina Faso and Gabon.

"Having a coach like Claude LeRoy helps a lot. 

He's going for his eight Nations Cup appearance and that brings a lot to the team," Oniangue added.

Congo enjoyed their heyday in the 1970s, when the Red Devils beat Mali 3:2 in the final of the 1972 tournament.

Two years later, the holders took eventual finalists Zambia to extra-time in the semi-finals before losing 4:2.

Congo have failed to reach a Nations Cup semi-final since but Oniangue, who scored against Nigeria and Sudan during the qualifiers, said: "I think everything is possible.

"We will play the opening game and do the maximum to reach the quarter-finals.

"We have to take it match after match. 

The minimum will be to reach the quarter-final, no one expect us to be there so maybe we can shock people again.

"Congo has a young generation, a lot of people did not give us a chance in Nigeria but we won there.

"As players we believe in ourselves and in our coach we have a man with big experience, so I know we can surprise everybody again in Equatorial Guinea."

The tournament will be played between 17 January and 8 February.

 

17 Dec 2014
(BBC Sport by Oluwashina Okeleji)

Related countries

Related articles