DR Congo’s Florent Ibenge Doubtful Over Captain Youssuf Mulumbu for AFCON Semi-Final
DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge faces a tough challenge ahead of Wednesday’s 2015 African Cup of Nations semi-final against Ivory Coast, with uncertainty surrounding the availability of captain Youssuf Mulumbu.
The midfielder has been sidelined since suffering a muscle strain during DR Congo’s group stage draw against Cape Verde on January 22. Mulumbu missed the crucial matches against Tunisia and Congo, including the quarter-final victory.
Speaking to AFP, Ibenge expressed cautious optimism but tempered expectations:
“I have more confidence for the second match (final or third-place playoff) than for this one. But with medicine, it goes quickly. One of the first elements to heal is the mental state, and he has the mental state to want to play, so he heals faster.”
However, the coach stressed he would not risk Mulumbu’s long-term fitness:
“I don’t like putting players and their physical integrity at risk. It would be pointless to lose Youssuf Mulumbu for six months. I prefer to have a player at 100%, otherwise there’s no point in having a squad of 23 players. He’s our leader, his role is also very important on the bench. He’s the captain, he speaks out with his teammates.”
On Monday, February 2, Mulumbu resumed individual training before joining the group for a brief 15-minute session — though not without signs of discomfort.
The Leopards will be hoping their captain can recover in time to provide leadership as they aim to reach the AFCON final.
