Renard aims to boot Elephants

HAVING guided the Ivory Coast to glory at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Herve Renard is now hoping to end his former side’s defence of the trophy when they face his Morocco team today.

The script could not have been better written, with Renard’s Morocco and the Elephants clashing in a winner takes all final Group C showdown in the northern Gabonese town of Oyem, kicking off at 8pm local time (9pm SA time).

The Atlas Lions have not made it beyond the group stage at the Cup of Nations since reaching the final in 2004 but a 3-1 win against Togo on Friday put them in a position to progress to the last eight.

A draw would also favour them, while DR Congo and Togo meet in the night’s other game in Port-Gentil.

The Ivorians, though, must win if they are to advance, after drawing their first two matches.

“In 2015, we found ourselves in the same situation with two draws and we won 1-0 against Cameroon,” Renard recalled of a slow start to his triumphant campaign at the helm of the Ivory Coast in Equatorial Guinea.

He left that role to become coach of Lille in France, but a disappointing experience in Ligue 1 precipitated a return to Africa with Morocco.

Here he is hoping to win the trophy for a third time, having also triumphed with Zambia in Gabon in 2012.

ý Last night, Tunisia secured their place in the quarterfinals with a 4-2 thumping of Zimbabwe.

Algeria could only draw 2-2 with Senegal, ending any doubt about their African Cup prospects. – AFP