11 days to the 31st edition of the African Cup of Nations to be staged in Gabon, we profile one of the title hopefuls, the DR Congo (formerly Zaire) national team “the Leopards.”
DR Congo return to biggest continental scene for the 16th time since first appearance in 1965, against a backdrop of high expectations – having finished third in Equatorial Guinea in 2015.
Road to Gabon
The 1968 and 1974 champions were impressive in the qualifiers – winning five out of six fixtures to finish top of a relatively easy group “B”, which had Angola, Madagascar and Central African Republic.
Their only loss in the campaign came courtesy of a 2-0 away beating by Central African Republic in September 2015; however, they would revenge 4-1 a year later in the return leg in Kinshasa.
In Gabon, the Leopards ranked 48 by FIFA have been pooled alongside defending champions Ivory Coast (34), Morocco (57) and Togo (91) in group “C” seen as “manageable”. They are expected to fight for at least a second spot finish and advance to the knockout stages.
Continuity
DR Congo have managed to retain 55-year-old Jean Florent Ikwange Ibenge as head coach, and will be among the only four teams under the tutelage of an African manager. Others are Zimbabwe, Guinea Bissau and Senegal.
Ibenge, who took over from fellow countryman Jean Santos Muntubilla in August 2014, also doubles up as the coach of AS Vita Club in the country’s topflight league. He led DR Congo home-based team to the 2016 CHAN glory in Rwanda – reclaiming the title they first won in 2009 in South Africa.
The former Shanghai Shenhua (China) coach has also managed to keep the Leopards in contention for a spot in the 2018 Russia World Cup.
The squad
A good number of players from the CHAN victorious team, including TP Mazembe keeper Ley Matampi, his teammates Issama Mpeko, Merveille Bokadi, Jonathan Bolingi, Elia Meschak and Joyce Lomalisa of AS Vita have been drafted in the initial 31-man squad for the AFCON.
Touted as one of the most talented squads of their era, the Leopards boast a galaxy of stars plying their trade with big European clubs including French-born Villarreal (Spain) danger-man Cedric Bakambu, Jordan Rolly Botaka of Charlton Athletic (England), Dieumerci Mbokani, Hull City (England), Neekens Kabeno, Fulham (England) and Benik Afobe, Bournemouth (England).
However, they will miss the services of Everton’s influential forward Yannick Bolasie, who was ruled out with an injury.
Preparations
Unlike teams like Ghana and Uganda who will are camping outside Africa, the Leopards are currently at CAF Center of Excellence in Cameroon for their preparations. They will play a warm-up against the hosts Friday, January 5, 2017.
Their opening AFCON 2017 fixture will be against Morocco at Stade d’Oyem, Oyem January 16.
Nicknamed “team fimbu na fimbu” owing to their goal celebration style, which involves a sign of canning using a stick after scoring, DR Congo can only go a step further from the Equatorial Guinea exploits, and probably lift the trophy for the first time in 42 years, nothing less will be judged as under achievement.
DR Congo Squad:
Goalkeepers: Matampi, Kudimbana,Kiasumba
Defenders: Bope, Jordan Ikoko, Joyce Lomalisa, Luyindama, Mbemba, Nsakala, Vital Nsimba, Tisserand, Zakwani , Isama
Midfielders: Jonathan Bijimine, Hervé Kage, Wilson Kamavuaka, Kebano, Maghoma, Mpoku, Remy Mulumba, Mulumbu, Kabasele Jonathan
Strikers: Afobe, Bokila, Bolingi, Botaka, kabananga, Mubele, Ricky Tulenge, Mbokani, Meschak Elia , Bakambu
