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Leopards change their spot
Congo DR have risen an impressive 23 positions up May's FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, to take them just ten places away from equaliing their finest-ever showing.
(AFP) ISSOUF SANOGO
(FIFA.com) 16 May 2007
The Democratic Republic of Congo overcame the hurdle of not being able to pick a full strength side to beat Ethiopia in a rescheduled CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last month and as a result have moves up 23 places in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking from 84th to 61st.
The Leopards' victory has kept them well on course for an appearance at the final tournament in Ghana next year. If they reach Ghana 2008, the Congolese will play in a sixth successive Cup of Nations finals and in a 14th continental championship overall. Indeed, they have been African champions twice before and were the first African side from south of the Sahara desert to compete at the FIFA World Cup™ finals.
Their 2-0 success over Ethiopia, played on a weekend outside of the FIFA match calendar, was played in front of more than 90,000 fans at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. Attendances at the cavernous venue are never officially declared but the stadium is always packed beyond capacity, creating an atmosphere unrivalled elsewhere on the continent. Travelling to play in the capital of Congo DR has always been difficult for away sides, as they not only face a formidable home side but also the passion of the Congolese people.
As one of Africa's largest and potentially richest countries, the country formerly known as 'Zaire' should be one of the continent's strongest sides. However, while they regularly qualify for the Cup of Nations, they have only been as far as the semi-finals once since they last won the tournament outright in 1974, the year they also went to the FIFA World Cup™ finals in West Germany.
Having recently changed their nickname back to the 'Leopards' from the 'Simbas' (Lions), DR Congo have also turned to former colonial power Belgium for their latest coach.
Henri Depireux has been at the helm since last year, taking over from Frenchman Claude Le Roy, and former captain Jean Claude Mukanya is now his assistant. Both live in Belgium and commute only for the matches, leaving the rest of the coaching duties on the domestic front left in the hands of Christian Nsengi Biembe. Mukanya is a former player at Lommel in Belgium and NAC Breda in the Netherlands. Nsengi is the current coach of Kinshasa's popular V Club.
Lomana LuaLua (wearing No9) is a key player for Congo DR and arguably the country's highest-profile player at the moment, given his key role for Portsmouth in the English Premiership.(AFP)KARIM JAAFAR
Triumph over adversity
Congo DR have struggled in recent times to put together a consistent side and have not had the use of their star players as much as they would have liked. Shabani Nonda, formerly at Monaco, Roma and now on loan at England's Blackburn Rovers, has missed much of the action for his country with injuries over the last three years, handing over the baton as 'leader of the group' to Lomana Tresor LuaLua, also back in the English Premiership.
The Portsmouth striker speaks with a broad London accent and is seemingly more English than African. He left Congo DR while still a young boy to move to Britain but has embraced the cause of his homeland's football team and showed his determination and dedication last month as he played for Portsmouth against Liverpool, then dashed to the airport to take the 10 hour flight to Kinshasa in order to face Ethiopia the next day. It was poignant that when the Leopards were awarded a second half penalty, LuaLua stepped up to score.
Current and former Congolese internationals are also to be found in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the Ukraine, reflecting the massive pool of talent which continually emerges, despite the difficult socio-political conditions in the country.
The Leopards will surely rise from a self-inflicted slumber if they maintain their recent form. Their jump from 84th position in the April FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking brings them closer to their highest position of 51 achieved in September 2003. With more positive results and a greater sense of stability, the Congolese could easily enter the top 50 and return to the preeminent position they once held in the African game.
Congo DR have risen an impressive 23 positions up May's FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, to take them just ten places away from equaliing their finest-ever showing.(AFP) ISSOUF SANOGO
(FIFA.com) 16 May 2007
The Democratic Republic of Congo overcame the hurdle of not being able to pick a full strength side to beat Ethiopia in a rescheduled CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last month and as a result have moves up 23 places in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking from 84th to 61st.
The Leopards' victory has kept them well on course for an appearance at the final tournament in Ghana next year. If they reach Ghana 2008, the Congolese will play in a sixth successive Cup of Nations finals and in a 14th continental championship overall. Indeed, they have been African champions twice before and were the first African side from south of the Sahara desert to compete at the FIFA World Cup™ finals.
Their 2-0 success over Ethiopia, played on a weekend outside of the FIFA match calendar, was played in front of more than 90,000 fans at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. Attendances at the cavernous venue are never officially declared but the stadium is always packed beyond capacity, creating an atmosphere unrivalled elsewhere on the continent. Travelling to play in the capital of Congo DR has always been difficult for away sides, as they not only face a formidable home side but also the passion of the Congolese people.
As one of Africa's largest and potentially richest countries, the country formerly known as 'Zaire' should be one of the continent's strongest sides. However, while they regularly qualify for the Cup of Nations, they have only been as far as the semi-finals once since they last won the tournament outright in 1974, the year they also went to the FIFA World Cup™ finals in West Germany.
Having recently changed their nickname back to the 'Leopards' from the 'Simbas' (Lions), DR Congo have also turned to former colonial power Belgium for their latest coach.
Henri Depireux has been at the helm since last year, taking over from Frenchman Claude Le Roy, and former captain Jean Claude Mukanya is now his assistant. Both live in Belgium and commute only for the matches, leaving the rest of the coaching duties on the domestic front left in the hands of Christian Nsengi Biembe. Mukanya is a former player at Lommel in Belgium and NAC Breda in the Netherlands. Nsengi is the current coach of Kinshasa's popular V Club.
Lomana LuaLua (wearing No9) is a key player for Congo DR and arguably the country's highest-profile player at the moment, given his key role for Portsmouth in the English Premiership.(AFP)KARIM JAAFARTriumph over adversity
Congo DR have struggled in recent times to put together a consistent side and have not had the use of their star players as much as they would have liked. Shabani Nonda, formerly at Monaco, Roma and now on loan at England's Blackburn Rovers, has missed much of the action for his country with injuries over the last three years, handing over the baton as 'leader of the group' to Lomana Tresor LuaLua, also back in the English Premiership.
The Portsmouth striker speaks with a broad London accent and is seemingly more English than African. He left Congo DR while still a young boy to move to Britain but has embraced the cause of his homeland's football team and showed his determination and dedication last month as he played for Portsmouth against Liverpool, then dashed to the airport to take the 10 hour flight to Kinshasa in order to face Ethiopia the next day. It was poignant that when the Leopards were awarded a second half penalty, LuaLua stepped up to score.
Current and former Congolese internationals are also to be found in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the Ukraine, reflecting the massive pool of talent which continually emerges, despite the difficult socio-political conditions in the country.
The Leopards will surely rise from a self-inflicted slumber if they maintain their recent form. Their jump from 84th position in the April FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking brings them closer to their highest position of 51 achieved in September 2003. With more positive results and a greater sense of stability, the Congolese could easily enter the top 50 and return to the preeminent position they once held in the African game.