Sebastien Haller scored the winner as 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, hosts Ivory Coast beat DR Congo to set up a final meeting with Nigeria.
The only goal of a cagey contest in Abidjan came in the 65th minute when Haller’s volley bounced down into the ground and up over Leopards goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
DR Congo did not look like getting a late equaliser, although Meschack Elia sent a volley wide of the left-hand upright and Simon Banza then fired well over in injury time.
Ivory Coast had sacked Jean-Louis Gasset as boss before scraping through the group stage, and had needed late goals against both Senegal and Mali to progress to the last four.
Interim boss Emerse Fae, will now try to guide the Elephants to a third continental title, with the hope of adding to their triumphs in 1992 and 2015, when they face three-time winners Nigeria in Abidjan on Sunday by 20:00 GMT.
The first meeting between the two teams during the group stage of this tournament ended one nil in favour of the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles had reached the final earlier on Wednesday after beating South Africa 4-2 on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw in Bouake.
BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle
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