Congo DR will host Sudan just needing a point to book their place in the African Cup of Nations. The away team, on the other hand, travels to Kinshasa this weekend in an effort to win. They need to in order to have any hope of qualifying for the continental championship the following year.
Preview (Congo DR vs. Sudan)
The Congo DR Panthers showed incredible fortitude to defeat the Panthers of Gabon on June 18 at Stade de Franceville and earn all three points. Aaron Tshibola gave Sebastien Desabre’s team the lead 11 minutes before halftime. In the 83rd, Fiston Mayele secured the victory. After the first five rounds of games, the Leopards are in first place in their qualification group. They are two points ahead of Mauritania. The challenge of a rival team, who has one victory from the past five iterations of this match.
But that lone victory did come in the most recent meeting, in June 2022. Saturday’s hosts suffered a close 2-1 loss. Sudan suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss to the Mauritanian Lions of Chinguetti on June 20 at Stade Adrar. It left them red-faced. Mohamed Nouh’s first-half goal put Yusuf Fartout’s team behind the eight ball. Goals from El Hassan Houbeib and Hemeya Tanjy in the second half clinched the victory.
The Secretary Birds are last in Group I with six points. They are only one point behind second and third-placed Mauritania and Gabon. The visitors on Saturday face a must-win match on the road in order to keep their AFCON dream alive. They have suffered three straight road losses by a combined score of 6-2.
Team News
Yoane Wissa of the Congo DR has recently been scoring goals well at the club level and will be hoping to do the same for his country on the international stage. Fiston Mayele aims to continue where he left off after scoring for the home team against Gabon at the fourth attempt. Mohamed Abdel Raman is someone to watch out for here after winning Sudan’s man-of-the-match award in their most recent matchup.
All of the players in the current Sudan team are currently employed within the nation and Yusuf Fartout has once again selected just domestic players. We fully anticipate the hosts to have little trouble escaping with a straightforward victory in the end because of Congo DR’s better recent run of results and the added benefit of playing in front of their supporters.
Congo DR 2 – 0 Sudan
For more football previews, click here
