2022 World Cup: Mbokani's DRC concedes a draw against Tanzania

Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani, January 16, 2017 in the DRC jersey.

AP - Sunday Alamba

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

3 min

Despite a goal from the revenant Dieumerci Mbokani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was neutralized Thursday, September 2 by Tanzania (1-1), its first opponent in these group J qualifiers. A jewel of Simon Msuva allowed the Tanzanians to hang the loser.

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Still no first victory for

Hector Cuper at the head of the Leopards

. Defeated in a friendly by Tunisia and forced to a draw, still in a friendly, by Mali in June, the DRC begins its qualifying campaign for the

2022 World Cup in Qatar

with another draw. In Lubumbashi, Cuper's men shared points with Tanzania.

This first meeting of group J had started well for the locals. After the first unsuccessful attempts by Yannick Bolasie and Chadrac Akolo, the opening goal came from the duo Cédric Bakambu-Dieumerci Mbokani. The first escaped the Tanzanian defense on the left side, infiltrated the area and waited for the goalkeeper to come out to pass the ball to the second. The attacker then only had to push the leather to the back of the net (23rd).

Dieumerci Mbokani, 35, celebrated his return to the selection.

The n ° 9, top scorer in the history of the Leopards (18 goals before that of this Thursday), had not worn this jersey since the CAN 2017. But the joy was short-lived because the Taifa Stars reacted correctly behind.

Reliants Mwakasugule, with a powerful strike, and Simon Msuva in the box warmed the gloves of Joël Kiassumbua, the Congolese goalkeeper.

The latter, on the other hand, was powerless on the huge strike unleashed by Msuva 25 meters from the cage, following a loss of the ball in the middle of Samuel Moutoussamy.

The Wydad striker sent a cannonball that hit the bottom of the crossbar before entering the goal (35th).

In the second half, neither team managed to gain the upper hand over the other, despite big duels on both sides and some dangerous opportunities.

This draw at home is a bad accounting operation for the DRC, while Madagascar and Benin, the other two nations in Group J, are due to face each other on Thursday as well.

► To (re) read: 2022 World Cup: Africa qualifying schedule and results

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