Title: South Africa inflict defeat on DRC Leopards in friendly match
Introduction :
After a resounding victory during the CAN qualification, the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo faced the South African team in a friendly match. Unfortunately, Bafana Bafana had the last word by winning the match 1-0, in front of their home crowd at Orlando Stadium. This defeat, although frustrating, represents an opportunity for coach Sébastien Desabre to learn lessons and prepare his team for the next challenges to come.
A different team alignment:
For this friendly match, Sébastien Desabre chose to rotate his squad by mainly fielding players who had not started the qualifying match against Sudan. Only Lionel Mpasi retained his place in goal. The attacking trio consisted of Silas Katomba, Jackson Muleka and Yoane Wissa, while the midfield was occupied by Edo Kayembe, Omenuke Mfulu and Chadrac Akolo. In defense, Rocky Bushiri, Inonga Baka, Joris Kayembe and Jordan Ikoko were responsible for protecting the Congolese cages.
A defeat without consequences for the CAN:
Despite a solid performance, the Leopards failed to prove dangerous against the South African team. Bafana Bafana managed to open the score in the 26th minute, and despite the changes made by the Congolese coach by bringing in players such as Charles Pickel, Fiston Mayele, Aldo Kalulu and Pelly Mpanzu, the team did not managed to reverse the trend. This defeat, however, does not call into question qualification for the CAN and will allow the team to work on areas of improvement with a view to the competition.
Lessons to be learned:
This defeat against South Africa represents an opportunity for coach Sébastien Desabre to review his strategy and correct the weaknesses revealed during the match. He will thus be able to work with his team to perfect the offensive and defensive phases, in order to be ready for future challenges. Friendly matches are often the ideal opportunity to test new tactical combinations and give certain players some playing time. The objective is to prepare the players to approach the CAN in the best possible way.
Conclusion :
Despite the defeat against South Africa in a friendly match, the DRC Leopards have the opportunity to draw positive lessons from this meeting. This defeat does not call into question their qualification for the CAN and will allow the team to analyze the gaps and prepare for the next challenges to come. It now remains for coach Sébastien Desabre to work with his team to correct mistakes and strengthen strong points, in order to approach the competition with determination and ambition.