They are taking Nigeria’s place at the ongoing World Cup –but purely on merit, because they beat the Super Eagles at the Africa playoffs.
To prove that their victory over highly rated Nigeria was no fluke, the Leopards took to the field yesterday against mighty Cristiano Ronaldo’s star-studded Portugal, emerging with their heads held high.
After the 1-1 opening game draw in Houston, US, the DR Congo players are upbeat about their chances in the tournament, insisting that they are not at the mundial just for sightseeing.
Assuring of better days ahead after earning their first point in the history of the competition since their only participation in 1974, the Leopards believe they can go all the way.
Against Portugal, trailing from the sixth minute, the Congolese never gave up. Sébastien Desabre’s men were rewarded for their efforts when Yoane Wissa equalized just before halftime.
This precious goal allowed the Leopards to approach the second half with greater confidence against a Portuguese side which included Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, and many other big names.
At the end of the match, Desabre’s players expressed satisfaction while emphasizing that their ambition goes beyond mere participation.
For Ngal’ayel Mukau, the result confirms the Congolese team’s ambitions in this World Cup.
“We’re not just here to participate, we’ve come to write our own history. Now, we’re going to rest and calmly prepare for Colombia,” he stated.
“It was very important to start this World Cup,” said Charles Pickel, speaking to reporters in the mixed zone immediately after the match, before reflecting on the game itself.
“We conceded early in the match. It was difficult, but we managed to equalize at the right time, just before halftime. That was a crucial moment in the game, and in the second half, we showed that we also have quality,” he added.
Another player, Samuel Moutoussamy shared the same feeling of pride, praising the collective performance of the Leopards.
“We are proud of the performance. Now it opens doors for us for the rest of the competition. We play for the whole country, it’s a shame we didn’t have all our supporters,” the midfielder said.
Wissa, on his part, stressed the importance of confirming his form in the next outing.
“We’ll have to win the next match, it’s so different and so difficult. It was important to start with a good result,” he stressed.
Thanks to the point earned against one of the group favorites, the DRC still has a good chance of qualifying for the round of 16.
The Leopards will return to competition on the night of 23-24 June to face Bayern’s Luiz Diaz’s Colombia in their second group stage match.
*PHOTO CAPTION: The Congolese players rejoicing after the game vs Portugal.
