D.R. Congo vs Madagascar

Congo DR plan to keep their momentum as they prepare for the last few qualifiers when they face Madagascar on Sunday at Stade de la Source.

The team of the Leopards won 1-0 in Mali at the same stadium earlier this week, while the last time Barea competed was in March.

DR Congo rebounded from consecutive losses to Mali, thanks to Samuel Essende’s goal in the 27th minute and gained a perfect start to 2025.

Despite their 1-1 match against Chad on December 21 stopping a momentary slump, the Leopards have still won every game since then.

Their runs show that in their last five games, DR Congo has always scored first in the opening half.

In addition, AIK managed to have the lead at half time in every one of their last three, given how solid their defense was during this time.

Since DR Congo leads by one point in the group, Sunday’s friendly allows them and Senegal to practice ahead of the remaining tough World Cup qualifiers.

September brings two matches against South Sudan and the Teranga Lions, followed by Togo and Sudan in October, but Desabre and his team have to look at the team they beat last – Madagascar.

Madagascar’s national team, Barea, have a chance to make history this weekend by securing consecutive wins in this fixture for the very first time. Their 1-0 victory in 2021 remains their only success so far, with an overall record of two wins, one penalty shoot-out triumph, a draw, and five losses.

A win now would be a huge morale boost for Madagascar as they look to bounce back in their World Cup qualifying campaign. Their last outing was a tough 3-0 defeat to Ghana in March, extending their struggles—they’ve lost five of their last seven matches across all competitions.

Currently sitting third in Group I, Corentin Martins’ side trails the leaders by five points, but with four games left, there’s still everything to play for. Their upcoming fixtures include clashes against Eswatini and the Central African Republic in September, followed by matches against Chad and Comoros in October as they chase their dream of a first-ever World Cup appearance.

Meanwhile, in a double dose of football action, Madagascar’s under-23 and local-based players will take on Tanzania in their COSAFA Cup opener just a day before the senior team’s big match. Two strong performances could give the nation’s football scene a major lift.