Latest news with #Leopardesses
CAF
a day ago
- Sport
- CAF
In Mohammedia, Zambia and DR Congo sang in unison
Inside the El Bachir Stadium for the final night of competition in this TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2024, the supporters of Zambia and the DR Congo offered a rare moment: a football match transcended by a breathtaking community. And at the heart of this magical evening, a flash of lightning. Rachael Kundananji's goal in the ninth minute. A world-class effort, in a setting transformed into a volcano of sound. One goal, one roar The match had not yet found its rhythm when the Zambian striker was already striking. In the ninth minute, from a direct free kick slipped by the woman Zambian fans nicknamed "Kunda," Rachael Kundananji left Congolese goalkeeper Ruth Kashala no chance. 1-0 for Zambia. "It's a goal she knows how to score," Zambian coach Nora Häuptle commented after the match. "She only needs half a second. I'm proud of the way she carries the team, always with such simplicity, such efficiency, and above all, such energy." The goal instantly awakened the green and orange stands at the South Bend. The Zambian supporters, who came in large numbers with flags, drums, and vuvuzelas, made the stands shake. "Chipolopolo, Chipolopolo, Zambia ni moto moto!" (Zambia is fire, fire!) they shouted in unison in Kiswahili. The Congolese people responded: drums, faith, and Lingala But the DR Congo fans were not to be outdone. Dressed in red, blue, and yellow, the Congolese had also prepared their own score. And they responded with remarkable collective power, resuming the chants with drums and vuvuzelas. "Congo na biso, tokolinga yo seko!" (Our Congo, we will always love you!) "Fimbo na fimbo!" (Blow for blow!) The words resonated loudly, carried by hundreds of passionate chests. The stands seemed to echo each other from one corner to the next, in a musical duel paralleling the battle on the pitch between two neighbouring countries. On the pitch, the Leopardesses tried to respond. Thanks to the power of Naomie Kaba Kaba and the technique of Merveille Kanjinga, the Congolese women finished the first half dominating possession, but without managing to truly trouble Petronela Musole. A tense second half, carried by the stands After the break, the tension was visible. Zambia, firmly defending their lead. Kundananji dropped back to create gaps, while the midfield of Ireen Lungu and Racheal Nachula closed off the spaces. The Congolese women kept putting pressure on Zambia. And the chants continued: "Tokolanda yo Congo!" (We'll follow you, Congo!). In the Leopardesses block, the women danced, the men clapped. It was a party nonetheless, even if the scoreboard refused to budge. In the 68th minute, the Congolese team's best chance came: a long-range shot from Olga Massombo, deflected for a corner by a beautiful volley from Petronella Musole. The Congolese bench rose as one. But the equalizer still did not come. Nora Häuptle: "We were united, and that's the key" After the match, Nora Häuptle wore a wry smile. Her team did not fully control the match, but they won with determination and qualified for the quarterfinals. "What I liked was the discipline. We knew the DR Congo would push, and we defended as a team. Rachael was decisive, but the whole team held firm. And above all: what support from our fans today! It was like playing in Lusaka." The usually discreet Swiss coach did not hide her emotion at the spectacle in the stands: "I've never seen such an atmosphere in El Bachir. Seeing our supporters and those of the DR Congo responding to each other with music, with so much respect... That's also what this WAFCON is all about. A source of pride for all of us." Hervé Happy: "We lost on a minor detail." On the Congolese side, frustration mixed with dignity. Hervé Happy, the Leopardess' coach, regretted the lack of realism but praised his players' spirit: "It's a match we mustn't lose. But we conceded an early goal and chased the score. Our girls gave everything they had. I remember their desire, audacity, and courage." Asked about the exceptional atmosphere, Happy cracked a smile: "It was exceptional. The fans carried us. I heard chants I hadn't heard since the stadiums of Kinshasa... That's Congo. Even in defeat, we sing. And I'm sure we'll come back stronger." El Bachir's Best Night In this Mohammedia stadium, the site of several Group A matches, the duel between Zambia and the DRC will remain the emotional highlight of the tournament. Not for the scoreline, but for what happened around it. Supporters from both sides stayed long after the final whistle. They exchanged chants, smiles, dances, and even selfies with the players. Some impromptu mixed circles around the main stand. "Tonight, I saw the Africa I love," summarized Joëlle, a Congolese student living in Casablanca. "Sisters, brothers, songs, and football. It wasn't just a match. It was a celebration." And as the floodlights slowly dimmed on the El Bachir Stadium, the voices continued to resonate. One goal was enough. But that night in El Bachir, an entire stadium won. Gaining in intensity, in volume, in pure emotion. In the stands, Zambia and DR Congo traded blows, chants against drums, smiles against silence. On the pitch, Kundananji struck, and the Copper Queens held on. The score remains fixed, but the memory is full.
CAF
06-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
2024 Women's AFCON – DR Congo - Senegal: A High-Risk Reunion of Comparable Ambitions
The moment of reckoning is approaching. This Sunday at 3 p.m. (local time), the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia will host a meaningful and historic clash between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal. A clash between two teams that, while not favourites for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2024, are determined to defy the odds in a tough Group A. For the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is a grand return after a 12-year absence; for Senegal, it's a long-awaited confirmation after a convincing last edition. Two intertwined histories This is only the second time that the DRC and Senegal have met at the WAFCON finals. In 2012 in Malabo, the Leopardesses won 1-0 thanks to a Lucie Nono penalty in the 74th minute. At the time, neither nation had advanced beyond the first round, beaten by South Africa and Equatorial Guinea. 12 years later, the two teams find themselves in very different circumstances, but with the same ambition: to carve out a place for themselves in the African Women's Football scene. Since this Congolese success, the balance has tipped in favour of the Senegalese. In July 2024, the Lionesses of Teranga won two friendly games against DR Congo in Thiès (1-0, 2-0), demonstrating a reverse dynamic and an increasingly structured Senegalese national team. Hervé Happy: "We're here to do things, not to try." On the Congolese side, the message is clear, assertive, and straightforward. Hervé Happy, the Leopardesses' coach refuses to be overly formal. "When I get on a plane, I want a pilot who lands. I do not want a guy who says, 'I'm going to try. I'm not here to try, I'm here to do." The objective is strong, and the determination is straightforward. For the tactician, this WAFCON is one step towards the larger process leading up to the 2026 edition. But there is no question about wasting the current opportunity. "The preparation was complicated, but now we are here. We are in the competition – focused and ready to make our country proud." The DR Congo is returning to the WAFCON for the fourth time in their history having debuted in 1998 before returning in 2006 and 2012. Their best performance remains third place in 1998. Since then, the Leopardesses have disappeared from the radar. But this year, signs of a rebirth are there, starting with TP Mazembe's continental triumph in the CAF Women's Champions League last November. A victory on Moroccan soil that inspired an entire team. Senegal, the rise to power For Senegal, this WAFCON marks their third appearance in a final tournament after 2012 and 2022. It was a difficult start: zero points, zero goals scored in Equatorial Guinea 12 years ago. But their progress since is visible. In 2022, the Lionesses of Teranga made it past the first round, with victories against Uganda (2-0) and Burkina Faso (1-0), before falling to Morocco and then Zambia in the quarterfinals (1-1, 2-4 on penalties). Coach Mame Moussa Cissé at the helm of this team since 2019 wants to sustain this momentum. "We have learned. We know our team better, the competition better. This year, we come with the desire to write a new page in the history of Senegalese women's football." The ambition is clear: to go further than the quarterfinals In a group that also includes the host country Morocco, every match will count double. Barème Babou, the powerful Senegalese midfielder, knows this. "We get along well together, we are united. Against the DRC, it will be tough. We respect them. But we shall give 200%." The numbers support her point. Senegal has conceded only two goals in five matches at the WAFCON 2022. And above all, they have shown a mental and defensive solidity that can make the difference. Ndeye Awa Diakhaté scored Senegal's first-ever goal in the finals during the opening match against Uganda in 2022. Since then, the Lionesses have felt they have the right to compete in the big leagues. On paper, Senegal seems more structured, more consistent. But the DRC has the element of surprise, the emotional intensity of a long-awaited comeback, and a generation carried by the spirit of TP Mazembe.
CAF
06-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Diop and Ndiaye lead Senegal to commanding win in WAFCON opener
Published: Sunday, 06 July 2025 Senegal laid down a marker in Group A of the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 4-0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in Mohammedia. A brace each by Mama Diop and Nguenar Ndiaye in the first half helped the Lionesses of Teranga to the emphatic victory in their first match of this year's competition. Coming into the tournament with rising expectations after reaching the quarter-finals in 2022, Senegal wasted no time asserting their dominance. The Lionesses overwhelmed DR Congo with a relentless first-half display that saw them race into a four-goal lead by the 40th minute, leaving the returning Congolese side shell-shocked. The breakthrough came as early as the fifth minute when striker Mama Diop latched onto a through ball from Méta Kandé and rifled a powerful effort into the roof of the net from distance. It was an early blow to DR Congo's hopes, and it set the tone for a dominant Senegalese display. Nguenar Ndiaye doubled the advantage in the 13th minute, coolly finishing from the centre of the box after a pinpoint pass from goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye. The tempo and movement of Senegal's attack proved too much for the Congolese backline, who struggled to contain the waves of pressure. By the 22nd minute, Mama Diop had her second — and Senegal's third — with a composed finish into the bottom corner, capitalising on a defensive lapse. The fourth came just before the interval, as Ndiaye rose unmarked to head home from a Hapsatou Diallo cross, completing her brace and wrapping up a ruthless first half. To their credit, DR Congo regrouped after the break and created several opportunities, hitting the woodwork through Flavine Mawete and forcing Senegal goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye into a string of fine saves. Gloria Mabomba and Naomie Kabakaba also tested the keeper, but a goal eluded the Leopardesses. Senegal eased off the gas in the second half, rotating players and managing the game comfortably as they protected their clean sheet. The result sees them go top of Group A, ahead of Morocco and Zambia who played out a 2-2 draw in the opening game. For DR Congo, back at WAFCON after a 12-year absence, this was a harsh reminder of the level required to compete. Their next fixture becomes a must-win if they are to keep qualification hopes alive. Senegal, meanwhile, look every bit like quarter-final contenders once again.
