DR Congo snapped their CHAN drought with a confident 2-0 win over Zambia, keeping their quarter-final hopes alive in Group A — www.naijnaira.com reports.
That victory came just days after a tough loss to Kenya and ended a frustrating five-game stretch without a win in the tournament.
Jephte Kitambala set things in motion in the 51st minute with a clean assist to Ibrahim Matobo, who fired home a powerful shot from outside the box.
Goalkeeper Brudel Efonge proved unbeatable on the night, stopping key attempts from Charles Zulu and Killian Kanguluma to deny Zambia any route back.
Zambia had never lost a group match at CHAN in 12 games, until this clash at Nyayo National Stadium changed that.
Mwaku came off the bench in the second half and finished off a blistering counter-attack with a strike that made it 2-0 in the 71st minute.
Avram Grant tried to inject life into the Zambian attack with second-half substitutions, but none could find the final touch in front of goal.
“I told the boys we needed to fight like it was a final,” said DR Congo coach Otis Ngoma after the game.
Matobo, who claimed the Man of the Match award, stood out alongside Kabwit, Kitambala, and Efonge, while Mwaku and Ngalamulume added late spark.
Zambia looked disconnected in the final third, struggling to turn possession into chances and failing to match DR Congo’s intensity.
Their best late effort came from Zulu, whose header was saved low by Efonge in the dying minutes.
The result puts Morocco, Kenya, and DR Congo all level on three points in Group A, making the next round of matches crucial.
DR Congo’s final group test comes against Morocco, a game that could determine who tops the group.
Zambia and Angola now face an uphill battle to stay in the competition, with little room left for error.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
