Democratic Republic of Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has stressed that his side is ready for any opponent in the Round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
DR Congo finished second in Group D to secure qualification for the knockout stage, setting up a Round of 16 meeting with Algeria.
Their group-stage campaign saw them record a win over Benin in the opening match, a draw against Senegal in the second round, before rounding things off with a convincing victory over Botswana on Tuesday evening.
Speaking in a statement to beIN SPORTS, Desabre expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress so far.
“Our first objective was to qualify for the next round, and we are satisfied that we achieved that. We also scored 5 goals and conceded only one, which is good for me,” he said.
Looking ahead to the knockout phase, the DR Congo coach stressed the importance of recovery and focus as the tournament now enters a decisive stage.
“Now we will recover and regain our energy and think about the next match, whoever the opponent is in the next round. Everything has changed now, we are in the direct elimination stage,” he added.
Desabre also reflected on his side’s experience against top opponents in recent competitions, while acknowledging the quality of their upcoming rivals.
“We performed well against Cameroon and Nigeria in the last World Cup qualifiers. We can play against these opponents, but it will be difficult because the Algerian team is very good. It will undoubtedly be a beautiful match, and we will try to be good to face them.”
