Ivory Coast's Wilfried Singo pumps a long ball down the pitch which the DR Congo keeper catches.

We are under way. The Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara crowd expects. Can the hosts deliver?

BBC World Service

Former DR Congo forward Lomana LuaLua to BBC World Service: "They players are ready for it. They didn't reach this just to give it up that easy.

"Yesterday I was there in training. We spoke to them, just trying to motivate them but you can only say so much to them. You don't want to put too much pressure on them. They're responsible. They're professional. They know our targets. As footballers we talk with our feet.

"They're close, two games and they can lift a trophy. It sounds easy but anything is possible."

Image source, Getty Images

DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre: "We are in the semi-finals and, of course, it would be stupid not to believe we can go on and get into the final.

"But it will be difficult, and our opponent is a top team. We will have to produce a top performance but it’s obvious, when you are in the semi-finals you first want to go to the final. And then, if you have the chance to go to the final, to win it. We will do everything to ensure we leave without any regrets.

"Our first victory [in the quarters against Guinea] came at the right time because we’re gaining momentum in the competition.

"You can say that we’ve only won once but consider we also did not lose in this tournament."

Gabriel Zakuani
Former DR Congo international on BBC BBC World Football podcast

Image source, Getty Images

I think DR Congo have enjoyed the tournament so far, being underdogs and surprising everyone, kind of going under the radar in many ways. The side have also shown a lot of maturity.

It took a while to get that first win within 90 minutes, but now I think it is time to let the shackles off. The way the tournament has gone so far you can't really write them off.

We have been living off the past, finishing third in 2015, but now this side has the chance to go one better. And who better than to get revenge on the side that knocked us out in 2015? So there is a little bit of history there between us and the Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast interim coach Emerse Fae says it is a "miracle" they are still in the tournament but has urged his players to not fall into the trap of thinking it is "destiny" that they will win it.

They needed other results to go their way to get out of the group stage, beat Senegal on penalties in the last 16 and then needed a 90th-minute equaliser and 120th-minute winner to beat Mali in the quarters.

"We are aware that we have made a spectacular recovery, that when you look at the Mali game we survived miraculously," Fae said.

"It is that mindset which allows us to pull off miracles like that, but we are not going to relax and say that because we won miraculously it means it is our destiny that we are going to win the trophy.

"The miracle against Mali did not fall out of the sky, it did not just happen like that, it happened because the players kept on fighting and believing until the end."

DR Congo are surprise semi-finalists, having not even qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Leopards have only actually won one game in open play so far, seeing off Guinea 3-1 in the quarters, after drawing all three group games and beating Egypt on penalties.

They last reached this stage in 2015, where they also faced the Ivory Coast, and lost 3-1.

If they win it would be the biggest gap between a nation reaching Afcon finals, having last reached it in 1974. Tunisia have the record with 1965-1996.

For the first half of their national anthem the DR Congo players hold one hand over their mouth and another as a gun to their head, to highlight the bloodshed in the country we mentioned a few minutes ago.

Sebastien Bassong
Former Cameroon defender on BBC World Football podcast

Image source, Getty Images

Ivory Coast were dead and buried for three days and came back alive.

When you go on from that situation what can you be scared about? Nothing. They were completely done, and now they are back, and are at home too.

There is so much atmosphere here that it is intangible, and that's what makes them so dangerous. Overall they haven't produced anything that was anywhere near good enough technically or tactically, but they have this extra factor of being at home, and they are not scared of anything.

Gabriel Zakuani
Former DR Congo international on BBC BBC World Football podcast

Image source, Getty Images

If Ivory Coast actually get to the final and win it then it will be the biggest robbery we've seen. I've never seen anything like it before! They should have been knocked out in the group stage, then they got a second chance and have not looked back.

Looking at them on paper now you would possibly put them up there as favourites with Nigeria. They've got a real chance of going all the way now.

You have got to give credit to their caretaker boss Emerse Fae for how he has come in and calmed down the situation.

His demeanour is so reassuring. In the media he is not too loud, I have seen some of his team talks and he is very straight down the middle, keeps it simple and straightforward.

Image source, EPA

The Ivory Coast, who are hosting Afcon, are bidding to achieve the remarkable distinction of reaching a major tournament final with a different manager to the one who started off the tournament.

After a disappointing group stage which saw them finish third, Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked.

But hours later they snuck through to the last 16 as the fourth best third-placed team.

Assistant manager Emerse Fae, once of Reading, was appointed as caretaker manager.

The Ivorians then failed in an audacious bid to bring hire France women's boss Herve Renard, who led Ivory Coast to 2015 Afcon glory, back for the rest of the tournament.

But the French FA said no to that request, so Fae remained in charge for wins over Senegal and Mali.

Can he keep his 100% career success rate as a manager (P2 W2) going?

Max Gradel is one of two players in this Ivory Coast squad, along with Serge Aurier, that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 36-year-old, who now plays in Turkey for Gazisehir, has played three times in this tournament.

"The spirit of the group is really good," he said. "We went through a lot of incredible moments and with the change of staff, we had to get our heads back on track very quickly.

"It must be emphasised that we have created strength with the confidence we have gained the last two matches. To win a match at the Cup of Nations, you have to be ready on all levels physically and mentally.

"During the last matches, we feel the enthusiasm, we feel that the people and the supporters are really behind us. This is what allows us to give our all.

"Against Mali, even being down to 10 men, we really felt the people pushing us. When you see your people singing the national anthem while you are trailing with a few minutes left to play, it is an incredible thing.

"With the support of the public, we don't feel like we're 10. We feel like we're 15 against 11."

Image source, Getty Images

DR Congo will wear black armbands today for those recently affected by conflict in the nation.

Dozens of armed groups have long plagued the mineral-rich east of the Central African nation, battling for control of the land.

According to the United Nations, the heightened conflict has pushed 6.9 million people to flee their homes.

"Everyone sees the massacres in eastern Congo. But everyone is silent," striker Cedric Bakambu wrote on social media.

"Use the same energy that you put into talking about the Nations Cup to highlight what is happening with us. There are no small gestures."

Read more here.

Efan Ekoku
Former Nigeria striker on BBC Two

Nothing crueler than losing on penalties. The harsh reality of sport.

Not the best performance from Nigeria today but Iheanacho cool as you like. The penalty to win in was the best of the lot.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

But who will play Nigeria in the final?

Nigeria are into the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, beating South Africa 4-2 on penalties.

The Super Eagles will take on either Ivory Coast or DR Congo in the final on Sunday.

South Africa will face the loser of the second semi-final in the third-fourth place play-off on Saturday.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Iheanacho can win it for Nigeria.