Africa: UNIFFAC U-20 - DR Congo Ignites Hope - Gabon, Congo Remain Unbeaten

6 July 2023
Confederation of African Football (Giza)

The Central African Football Federations' Union (UNIFFAC) U20 Cup, aptly named the "Fatshi U20 Cup," featured two thrilling matches on matchday 2, resulting in a victory for DR Congo and a draw between Gabon and Congo.

The Stade Martyrs in Kinshasa was the stage for these intense encounters on Tuesday, July 4, providing fans with a spectacle of football.

Hosts DR Congo, who suffered a narrow defeat in their opener against Gabon, secured a hard-fought win against the Central African Republic in the early kickoff.

Coach Guy Bukasa's side faced the challenging task of containing this year's U20 AFCON participants, a mission they successfully accomplished. The match showcased thrilling moments and opportunities at both ends, but it was Mbede Sanja who stole the spotlight with a dazzling goal six minutes after the half-hour mark.

Despite the Central African Republic's efforts, their lack of cutting edge in front of goal meant the score remained unchanged throughout the 90 minutes. This defeat marks the end of the tournament for the Central African Republic, as they failed to secure any points.

In the late kickoff, tournament favorites Congo and dark horse Gabon thrilled the crowd at the Stade Martyrs with an electrifying 2-2 draw.

Gabon, the surprise package of the tournament, took an early 2-0 lead through wonderkid Curtis Junior Makossa, who scored in the 3rd and 23rd minutes, completing his second tournament brace.

However, Congo staged a remarkable comeback, erasing the two-goal deficit to deny Gabon three valuable points. Coach Massamba's team was stunned as Congo's resilience came to the fore, with Mignon Kotto's 82nd-minute goal igniting the comeback.

The equalizer came just before the final whistle, with Diolvy Moukouba finding the back of the net in deep stoppage time (90+8). Both teams walked away with a point from this thrilling encounter.

The Central African Republic is now the only team eliminated from contention, having failed to secure any points. DR Congo, Gabon, and Congo are still in the running for further success in the tournament.

On Day 3, the Stade Martyrs will witness a face-off between the two Congos on Thursday, July 6. In the late kickoff, Gabon will take on the Central African Republic in another highly anticipated match.

Read the original article on CAF.

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