Congo's Bifouma hoping Cup of Nations kickstarts club career

Bata (Equatorial Guinea) (AFP) - Thievy Bifouma has risen to the occasion at this Africa Cup of Nations and is now bidding to help Congo Brazzaville extend a fairytale run with qualification for the semi-finals on Saturday.

"Congo have some very good players and Bifouma is certainly one of them. He is a very quick, a very dangerous striker," warned DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge ahead of the derby meeting between the nations in the quarter-finals in Bata.

The 22-year-old French-born striker is blessed with great close control, a good shot and an ability to run at defences with his speed, balance and power.

Bifouma has put himself in the shop window at this tournament, catching the eye with his all-round play and scoring twice in the group stage.

The forward spoiled an opening-day victory party for hosts Equatorial Guinea when he grabbed a late equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw for his side at a jammed 35,000-capacity Estadio de Bata.

And he was also on target as Congo beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in their final group game to reach the last eight -- their first appearance in the knockout phase since 1992.

He underlined his class in last year's qualifying tournament when he grabbed a brace in a man-of-the-match performance against champions Nigeria at home.

It was only his second game for Congo with the Paris-born striker being cleared by FIFA to change his international allegiance after representing France at under-20 and under-21 levels.

It is at club level though that Bifouma still has to prove his undoubted potential. He is currently on loan at perennial La Liga strugglers Almeria from Espanyol after passing through the youth ranks at Strasbourg.

Since making his professional debut for Espanyol in 2011, he has been shipped out on loan to Las Palmas in the Spanish second division as well as West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League, where he made a handful of appearances last year.

In the close season, reports suggested he was unhappy and wanted to quit Espanyol, who insisted he could only do so at the right price.

He was fined for reporting late for pre-season, before he later negotiated a loan move to Almeria.

"It was a difficult summer for me. I have been in an uncomfortable position with Espanyol, but there has also been the beauty of becoming a father and now I have found a good place to practice my profession," he said at the time.

"To play well, you have to be happy and that's what Almeria have offered me."

He has a contract with Espanyol until 2017, although on the evidence of what he has so far shown with Congo, plenty of other clubs will be keeping a close eye on his performances.