Congo DR and Senegal will lock horns at Stade des Martyrs on Tuesday in round eight of the CAF 2026 World Cup qualifiers, in what is set up to be a decisive top-of-the-table clash in Group B.
Just one point separates the two nations after seven matches, with the hosts leading the way on 16 points, an advantage they will be eager to stretch in front of their home supporters.
Congo DR’s long wait for a return to the World Cup is edging closer to reality, and victory on Tuesday would give them valuable breathing space in the group with only two games left to play after that.
It is just over a year since the Leopards earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Senegal, and they have since gone from strength to strength, winning their last four matches in this qualification series, with the only setback coming in a narrow defeat to Sudan much earlier.
However, history is not on their side heading into this fixture, with Congo DR having not beaten Senegal since 1968, losing five and drawing two of the seven meetings since then – though, this will also be the first time the two nations meet on Congolese soil, giving the hosts an added sense of occasion.
For Senegal, the stakes could not be higher, as the Teranga Lions know that anything less than a win risks putting their qualification hopes in jeopardy, with just two games left to play afterwards in the qualification series.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
