In Kinshasa

In Kinshasa, the celebrations of qualification for the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations were matched by the fear the Congolese people had before facing the Pharaohs of Egypt. 

Congo’s Leopards beat Egypt 8-7 on penalties after a hard-fought 1-1 draw that went to extra time.

Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi scored the final spot-kick after his Egyptian counterpart Gabasky had missed. 

The Congolese goalkeeper thus gave his side a quarter-final berth.  This is the first time the DRC have reached this stage of the competition under the 24-team African Cup of Nations format.

It had been 50 years since the Leopards had beaten the Pharaohs of Egypt.  On Sunday, January 28, there was an explosion of joy in Kinshasa, in every city in the country, and also in Brazzaville, the other Congo whose capital is just across the road from Kinshasa.

Some analysts are now betting on the Congolese team.

“In 1974, after beating Egypt (2-3) in the semi-final, Congo, then known as Zaire, won the African Cup of Nations against Zambia. The destiny could be the same,” said Blessed Kuzola, a football expert. 

“We’re going to savour it, and then think about the next match,” said coach Sébastien Desabre soberly. 

The DRC’s Leopards will take on Guinea Conakry’s Syli National on Friday in Abidjan, having beaten Equatorial Guinea on the same Sunday. 

While popular jubilation in the DRC continued into the night in Kinshasa, in San Pedro, where the match was played, the players were savouring the victory. 

The fans, for their part, declared that “the Leopards have begun their hunt and it will continue on Friday.

“We’re going to play to perform and to win,” promised Sébastien Desabre after the victory over Egypt. 

“But Guinea are a good team too. They’re not in the quarter-finals by chance,” added the French coach.

The fact that the DRC eliminated Africa’s most successful country gives the Leopards of Congo DRC a boost.

It is true that the Congolese national team, which has reached the quarter-finals, has not lost a single match since the start of the competition. 

Nor have they won any in normal time. Against Egypt, it was a fourth draw at the end of normal time.

The French coach hailed his players’ victory. But he also dedicated the victory to the Congolese people, who are facing a difficult security situation. 

“I’m proud of my players. The fans back home can see that the players are giving everything for the shirt and the national flag. We had two days less to recover than Egypt. Now we have four days before the next quarter-final. 

“We’re going to enjoy ourselves before getting back to work. I’m happy for the country. I’m happy for the people who are in a bit of trouble in the east of the country,” said Desabre, referring to the people of eastern DRC, who have been facing war and insecurity for 30 years.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Christian churches are very active, the game between the Congolese and Egyptians inspired some preaching. 

A number of preachers on social media before and after the match quoted chapter 14:13 of the biblical book of Exodus, saying “...the Egyptians you see today, you will never see them again.”