DR Congo came back from 2-0 down to grab a place in the African Nations Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 success over neighbours Congo-Brazzaville in Bata on Saturday.

They looked dead and buried when they conceded twice in seven second-half minutes as Fode Dore and tournament leading scorer Thievy Bifouma netted for Congo-Brazzaville.

But the side mounted a stirring comeback and piled the pressure on their opponents' goal, winning reward with four goals in the final 26 minutes through a brace from Dieumerci Mbokani, and goals for Jeremie Bokila and Joel Kimwaki.

It is the first time that DR Congo have reached the continental semifinals since they finished third in 1998.

After a dull first half devoid of many clear-cut opportunities, the teams turned at the break with the score 0-0.

DR Congo came closest to opening the score when Bokila's shot cannoned off the woodwork seven minutes onto the second half, and shortly afterwards Congo had the lead to compound their frustration.

Dore sprung the DR Congo off-side trap and was presented with a simple tap-in chance to put his side 1-0 up.

It looked as though it would not be DR Congo's night when Chancel Mbemba smashed his free-kick against the crossbar just minutes before Bifouma put Congo-Brazzaville 2-0 up.

Dore's shot was not properly cleared by the DR Congo defence and Bifouma provided a neat finish to punish their profligate defending.

But rather than wilt, that goal seemed to spur DR Congo on and they staged a remarkable comeback.

Mbokani finished on 64 minutes after being teed-up by Yannick Bolasie to pull a goal back, before they were level 10 minutes later.

Bokila crashed the ball home from 15-yards as Congo-Brazzaville this time failed to clear the ball from their penalty-box.

And the comeback was complete 10 minutes from time when Joel Kimwaki got a touch to Neeskens Kebano's free kick to direct his header into the bottom corner of the net.

The win was sealed in injury time when Mbokani got his second as he latched onto a loose ball in the penalty box and provided a cool finish.

Congo-Brazzaville hit the post late on but by that time their luck had run out.

DR Congo will now play the winner of the quarter-final match between Ivory Coast and Algeria in Malabo on Sunday. That match will be played on Wednesday.