Already qualified for CAN 2025, the DRC conceded its first defeat during these qualifiers, this Saturday at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpé, in Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, against Guinea (1-0), in good position ahead of the second-place final against Tanzania on Tuesday. The Syli National relied on its star striker Serhou Guirassy, scorer in the 92nd, to bring down the Congolese fortress, impregnable since the opening of the campaign.
After a good start to the Syli National, the RDC took the match into his own hands. Starting with a cross from the right following which Simon Banza slipped in front of the goalkeeper as he struck (10th). Six minutes later, captain Chancel Mbemba, in an overstep, attempted a long shot at ground level passing Moussa Camara’s left post (16th).
The GuineaHowever, she did not fade away. This is evidenced by an incursion to the left into the area by Serhou Guirassy, who collapsed following a duel with Samuel Moutoussamy without the referee flinching (20th). Also in the opposing camp, Théo Bongonda collapsed on the right in the area under the mute whistle of the man in black, unassisted by video refereeing (30th).
Little by little, Guinea approached the Congolese goals. The opportunity for Guirassy to finally execute his first shot attempt after 30 minutes of play. Shifted then eccentric to the right, the Borussia Dortmund center forward crossed too much his shot which passed in front of Dimitry Bertaud’s goal (32nd) . Seven minutes later, he managed to hit the target with a low shot directly captured by Bertaud (39th).
The Guinean threat increased just before half-time, through an off-target header from Ibrahima Conté, following a corner kicked from the right, followed by a game of billiards following another corner, still coming from the right (45th+2).
Zlatanesque, Guirassy delivers Guinea
The second act started on the same basis as the end of the first period. Indeed, Guinea insisted on the image of Guirassy who fell at the penalty spot following contact with an opponent. But as before, the referee remained indifferent (48th). While the roles had reversed at their expense for several minutes, the DRC responded with a header from Mbemba from a corner, which grazed Banza to land in the arms of Moussa Camara (53rd).
This in no way discouraged the Guinean offensive thrusts. On the right, Seydouba Cissé saw his shot blocked by Guirassy in an illegal position, and who wrong-footed Bertaud at the near post. However, the ball passed next to the Montpellier goalkeeper’s right post (67th). If Noah Sadiki responded with an off-target shot to the right (69th), Guirassy found himself in an ideal position to force the Congolese lock. However, his backheel came up against Bertaud who was rescued by his defense (72nd).
The pace dropped a little at the end of the match. And the Leopards believed they were keeping their clean sheet… until the 92nd minute when Guirassy delivered the Syli National on a Zlatanesque recovery to the right in the area, following a good cross from Issiaga Sylla (1-0 ).
As a result, Guinea retained its second place behind its evening opponent, already qualified since the previous break, and took two steps ahead of Tanzania before the group final, Tuesday in Dar es Salam for the final day. The DRC concedes its first setback of this campaign.
