Congo DR and Tanzania return to action in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they go head to head at the Stade des Martyrs on Thursday.
The Leopards have kicked up the campaign with two wins from their opening two matches and will head into the game in search of a sixth competitive home victory since June 2022.
Congo DR maintained their perfect start to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on September 9 when they picked up a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ethiopia at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium.
In an action-packed contest between the two sides, Ethiopia were guilty of a lack of cutting edge in front of goal as Theo Bongonda and Fiston Mayele struck in the second half to hand the visitors all three points.
This followed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Guinea in Kinshasa on September 3 when Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe netted the only goal of the game in the 27th minute to hand Congo DR a dream start to their race for a place in Morocco.
Since their gut-wrenching penalty-shootout loss against South Africa in the 2023 AFCON third-placed playoff clash on January 10, Sebastien Desabre's men have now gone three consecutive games without defeat across all competitions, claiming three wins and one draw while scoring six goals and conceding twice.
This solid run of results has seen the Leopards strengthen their stake for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they have now picked up seven points from four games in Group B of the qualifiers to sit third in the table, three points behind Sudan in the automatic qualification spot.
Tanzania, on the other hand, picked up their first win in the AFCON qualifying race last time out as they fought back from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Guinea when the two nations squared off at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium.
Following a goalless first half, Mohamed Bayo netted shortly before the hour mark, but Tanzania hit back four minutes later through Feisal Salum before Mudathir Yahya completed the comeback with an 88th-minute strike.
Prior to that, Tanzania kicked off their quest for back-to-back AFCON appearances for the first time on September 4 when they were held to a somewhat disappointing goalless draw by Ethiopia in Dar es Salaam.
Since a narrow 1-0 against Bulgaria in March's friendly clash, Hemed Suleiman's men have now gone five consecutive games without defeat across all competitions, picking up two draws and three wins, including June's 1-0 victory over Zambia in the World Cup qualifiers, where they are currently second in Group E with six points from a possible nine.
The Taifa Stars have picked up four points from their opening two in the 2025 AFCON qualifying race to sit second in the standings, two points off Thursday's hosts at the top of the pole.
Next up for Tanzania is the challenge of taking on an opposing side who are on a run of five back-to-back competitive home victories, stretching back to a 1-0 defeat against Gabon in the AFCON qualifiers back in June 2022.
Congo DR have named a solid 25-man squad for October's qualifying games against Tanzania and Ethiopia, with the likes of Simon Banza, Gael Kakuta and veteran defender Chancel Mbemba headlining the list.
Mbemba and 30-year-old Henoc Inonga started at the heart of the back four against Ethiopia last time out and should retain their roles in the XI, while Charles Pickel, Chadrac Akolo and Sivasspor man Samuel Moutoussamy should start in midfield.
Samuel Essende has netted two goals in four appearances for Augsburg in the Bundesliga and the 26-year-old should lead the Leopards attack, alongside 33-year-old Kakuta and Trabzonspor man Banza.
As for Tanzania, Suleiman's has stuck with the majority of the players called up for September's qualifiers, with Mohamed Husseini, Ibrahim Hamad, Dickson Job and Lusajo Mwaikenda expected to form the back four once again.
Salum and Young Africans Sport Club's Yahya were both on target against Guinea last time out and should team up in the centre of the park, alongside Goztepe man Novatus Miroshi, who made his debut in September 2021.
Vancouver Whitecaps striker Cyprian Kachwele, who was handed his debut against Guinea last time out, has also been named in the 23-man squad and will be hoping to open his account for the Taifa Stars.
Key Players To Watch
DR Congo
- Chancel Mbemba: The Marseille centre-back in France is one of the key players in his team's formation, providing experience and defensive solidity at all times. He has made 85 appearances for the senior team, starting in the last two qualifying matches, returning to the squad due to an injury that kept him out for a few games.
- Samuel Essende: The 26-year-old forward is a threat in attack, having scored two goals in four appearances for Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
- Gael Kakuta: The experienced attacker has played for several European clubs and brings plenty of quality to the Leopards attack.
Tanzania
- Feisal Salum: The midfielder was the hero in the last qualifier against Guinea, scoring the equalizer and playing a key role in securing the victory.
- Mudathir Yahya: The Young Africans Sport Club striker scored the winning goal against Guinea and will be looking to build on his good form.
- Cyprian Kachwele: The Vancouver Whitecaps striker will be hoping to make an impact on his debut for the Taifa Stars.
Match Preview
Both Congo DR and Tanzania have enjoyed a solid start to the qualifying campaign and will be looking to keep the ball rolling on Thursday. The Leopards have been near impenetrable on home soil, and while we expect Suleiman's men to put up a fight at the Stade des Martyrs, we are backing them to come away with the desired result.
The Road to Morocco
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted in Morocco, with matches scheduled in six cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech. Tanzania, under coach Morocco, are seeking to qualify for back-to-back AFCON finals for the first time in their history, after making their last appearance in Ivory Coast. A victory against DR Congo could put Taifa Stars in a strong position to qualify, increasing the significance of Thursday’s encounter.
The Taifa Stars have only qualified for the continental cup on three occasions, the last one being in Ivory Coast 2023 where they were eliminated in the group stage. They will try to get their ticket to clean up their record of nine games played, three draws and six losses. The current standings are encouraging as they are in second place in the group with four points. They have not yet known defeat after drawing 0-0 against Ethiopia and beating Guinea 2-1 away, after a great performance by Feisal Salum, the midfielder provided balance at a critical moment in the match and managed to score the equalizer a minute after the opponent's goal.
The Republic of Congo is currently in first place in Group H with six points, after beating Ethiopia two to one away and Guinea by a narrow margin. Under the current name of the nation, its best participation in the African Cup of Nations was in 2015 when it finished third. In the last edition, in 2023, it was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Guinea itself, the Leopards having eliminated Egypt in the round of 16.
Looking Ahead
Both teams will then face off again in Dar es Salaam on October 15 for the return leg, adding further significance to these encounters. The two sides are also set to meet again in the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, making this match a key test for both teams.
With the stakes high, the match promises to be a captivating encounter between two determined sides, with both teams seeking to gain a crucial advantage in the race to qualify for the 2025 AFCON.
