DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre has emphasized the importance of thorough preparation ahead of his team’s Round of 16 clash with Algeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Leopards finished second in Group D, booking their place in the knockout stage with a final group record that included a win over Benin, a draw with Senegal, and a victory against Botswana.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS, Desabre reflected on the group stage campaign: “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.”
Looking ahead, he added: “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.”
Desabre acknowledged the challenge Algeria poses, noting, “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.”
He concluded by highlighting the context of the venue: “We will play again in the stadium where we faced the Nigerian national team in the World Cup qualifiers, but the Algeria match is a different situation.”
