DR Congo coach Desabre sets AFCON qualification as next target

DR Congo coach Sébastien Desabre says his side must show they have changed their status when they begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Equatorial Guinea on Thursday.

Desabre believes the Leopards must build on the progress made at the World Cup while making sure their improved standing is reflected in their performances from the opening match.

The French coach made the comments during a press conference at the headquarters of the Congolese Football Federation in Kinshasa, where he discussed the squad selected for the upcoming qualifiers and the two preliminary matches.

Desabre said the World Cup had provided an important opportunity for the national team to progress, but stressed that their next objective is to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“The World Cup was a stepping stone, and we still need to consolidate our progress. That’s why, as you’ve seen with the players called up, we’re maintaining a core group, which is important for moving forward, and we’ve called up more players who will bring more competition, which will allow us to grow even further, and making a place in this team increasingly difficult. To achieve this, you’ll have to earn your place at your club to be able to join the national team. But what interests us today are the qualifiers, which are our next objective: to qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Just because we had a good World Cup doesn’t mean we’ll qualify automatically. It will be all about the matches, and today, we’re changing our status, and that needs to be evident from the very first match against Equatorial Guinea ,” he declared.

The coach has retained a core group of players while also bringing in additional options to increase competition within the squad.

According to Desabre, players must also establish themselves at club level if they want to remain part of the national team. He wants the increased competition to help the Leopards continue developing as they move into the next stage of their progress.

The immediate focus, however, is on the AFCON qualifiers, with DR Congo facing a demanding schedule during the upcoming international period.

The Leopards will begin their campaign at home against Equatorial Guinea on Thursday, September 24 in Kinshasa.

They will then travel to Zimbabwe for their next match on Monday, September 28.

DR Congo will subsequently face Uganda twice in October. The first meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 2, with the second fixture taking place on Monday, October 5. Both matches against Uganda will be played in South Africa.

Desabre therefore wants his players to demonstrate the team’s progress immediately rather than rely on their previous achievements.

The coach has made qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations the next target for the Leopards, while also using the campaign to continue developing competition within the squad.

The opening match against Equatorial Guinea will provide the first opportunity for DR Congo to show the change in status Desabre believes has taken place.