A compelling Central African derby awaits as the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) meet in a Group C fixture of the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations on Monday at the Suez Stadium.
Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 GMT, with both sides aiming for a first win following identical 1-1 draws in their tournament openers.
CAR showed resilience in their opener against defending champions Senegal, recovering from a goal down to level the score in the 74th minute through Diogene Pengazonia.
For the DRC, an early lead against Ghana via Ntanda-Lukisa in the 16th minute was undone just eight minutes later, forcing them to settle for a point.
Both sides demonstrated moments of promise but will need greater consistency if they are to progress from a competitive group.
Monday’s clash marks a rare tournament encounter between two UNIFFAC (Central African Football Federations’ Union) members.
For CAR, it is only their second such fixture at this level following a goalless draw against Congo in 2023. DRC’s only previous meeting with a Central African side came in 2013 when they drew 0-0 with Gabon.
Statistically, DRC held the upper hand in physical battles during their opener, winning an impressive 78 duels compared to CAR’s 32 against Senegal.
Tonny Talasi stood out with 14 duel wins, while Jules Ahoka led DRC in passing with 30 completions.
Despite enjoying less possession, CAR made their only shot on target count against Senegal, though their 33.6% possession reflected a struggle to control the tempo.
Neither team has won a second group match in previous tournament editions.
CAR, winless in their last five U20 AFCON outings, could make history by avoiding defeat in their opening two matches for the first time.
For DRC, whose U20 AFCON record remains winless, a victory would mark a major breakthrough as they prepare to face group favourites Senegal in their final match.
