The bronze-medal match is never one eagerly-anticipated by players, but Saturday's clash at the African Nations Cup finals between Democratic Republic of Congo and hosts Equatorial Guinea has perhaps added importance for both teams.

The Guinea side showed all their worst characteristics in the semi-final defeat to Ghana on Thursday night, diving, arguing with the referee, committing niggling fouls and performing in a manner well below the standards they should be setting for themselves.

Saturday's game gives them the opportunity to change perceptions of their side, in the eyes of both their public and the watching world.

It would, of course, also give them a medal at the competition, something that seemed so unlikely at the start of the tournament.

They have already made history by reaching the last four, their best showing yet at the continental finals, and finishing on a high note could provide a significant boost in status and confidence for their football.

DR Congo have at times delighted in this competition and although well-beaten in their semi-final against Ivory Coast, can be proud of their performance to date.

They would expect to beat Equatorial Guinea though and like their counterparts, a medal would be the perfect illustration of the progress they have made in their football over the last five or so years.

Coach Florent Ibenge is still relatively new in the role and a bronze medal would strengthen his claims to be the best man for the job.

Certainly they have the players to pack a punch, and a third-place finish at the Nations Cup would be seen as a real success.

The game also provides the local organising committee with the chance to restore some faith following the shameful scenes witnessed in Equatorial Guinea's semi-final defeat where fans went on the rampage inside and outside the stadium in Malabo.

Home supporters broke street poles, upturned vendors' goods and placed and blockaded the street outside the stadium with concrete boulders.

It leaves a massive security question over the third-place play-off, though with its lower profile it's perhaps reasonable to assume the hooligan element that disrupted Thursday's encounter will not return.