Tanzania will look to secure a place in the round of 16 when they face DR Congo in Wednesday’s Group F AFCON tie. Siphesihle Soni previews.
AFCON 2023
Match 35 – Tanzania v DR Congo
Wednesday 24 January | 22:00
With all teams in Group F still within a chance of qualification, the stakes couldn’t be higher! Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium will see Tanzania battle it out with a DR Congo outfit that’s yet to see defeat at these AFCON finals.
To Win Match
Tanzania 44/10 | Draw 49/20 | DR Congo 6/10
Tanzania endured a poor start to their AFCON campaign, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Morocco in their opener. Despite navigating the opening stages of the tie with caution, Tanzania conceded on the half-hour mark and took a 1-0deficit into the break.
Things went from bad to worse when midfielder Novatus Dismas was shown the red card, after drawing his second yellow in the 70th minute. The Atlas Lions pounced on the opportunity and added two more goals.
Tanzania then had a chance to put some points on the board when they took on Zambia in their second group-stage fixture. They took the lead in the 11th minute through Simon Msuva and went on the hunt for a second after the Chipolopolo were reduced to ten men. Despite enjoying more of the ball and testing Mulenga, it was Leceister hitman Patson Daka who drew his country level in the dying moments of the game.
Ahead of their crunch clash with DR Congo, Tanzania are in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Tanzania Football Federation has suspended their coach, Adel Amrouche, after he was handed an eight-match ban from CAF. This is a major blow for them in their effort to make history and qualify for the knockout rounds of the competition.
Charles M’Mombwa, Mbwana Ally Samatta and Simon Msuva are expected to lead the attack for the Taifa Stars as they look to write their names in the history books!
DR Congo are still on the hunt for their first win of the tournament, after back-to-back draws. They squared off with Zambia in their AFCON opener, with Brentford’s Yoana Wissa equaliser earning a point for his side. Sebastien Desabre would have felt that it was two points dropped rather than a point gained, considering his side dominated the game firing off 25 shots in that tie.
DR Congo currently trail Group F leaders, Morocco, by two points. A win against Tanzania will see them win the group should Morocco fail to defeat Zambia. Despite this, qualification remains firmly in their control and I expect this to spur them on. Only goal difference separates them and third-placed Zambia.
Head-to-head stats favour the Congolese – they are yet to taste defeat at the hands of the Tanzanians. They’ve drawn two of their three fixtures, before dispatching them 3-0 in their most recent clash.
Verdict: DR Congo 6/10
DR Congo are the better side and offer good value at 6/10. Get on!
