Congo DR will look to extend their rhythm ahead of the final stretch of the qualifiers when they take on Madagascar on Sunday at Stade de la Source, Orleans in France.

The Leopards arrive on the back of a 1-0 victory over Mali at the same venue on Thursday, while Barea have been inactive since their last appearance in March.

Match preview

Samuel Essende’s strike in the 27th minute proved decisive as DR Congo snapped a two-game losing run against Mali and maintained their perfect start to 2025.

While their 1-1 draw against Chad on December 21 in the African Nations Championship qualifiers halted a brief slide, it remains the last time the Leopards failed to win, with the side now having registered four straight triumphs.

That consistency can be attributed to their fast starts, with DR Congo drawing first blood in each of their last five matches, and all those goals have come in the first half.

Even more impressively, the Leopards carried the lead into the break in each of their last three – hardly surprising considering they kept clean sheets throughout this run.

Sunday’s friendly presents a valuable opportunity to sustain momentum heading into the crucial final phase of the World Cup qualifiers, with DR Congo currently top of their group and holding a one-point cushion over second-placed Senegal.

With September's doubleheader against South Sudan and a crunch meeting with the Teranga Lions on the cards – followed by back-to-back fixtures against Togo and Sudan in October – Sebastien Desabre’s men must first turn their attention to a Madagascar team that claimed victory in their most recent meeting.

Barea could register consecutive wins in this fixture for the first time in their history following a 1-0 success in 2021 – their overall record stands at two outright victories, one penalty shoot-out triumph, a draw and five losses.

Victory this weekend would offer a much-needed lift for Madagascar, who will be hoping to restart their qualifying campaign with renewed confidence after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Ghana in March.

That result marked their fifth defeat in seven matches across all competitions, and it leaves Corentin Martins’s side third in Group I, five points adrift of the summit with four games still to come.

Madagascar will take on Eswatini and the Central African Republic in September before facing Chad and Comoros in October as they continue to chase a maiden World Cup appearance.

In parallel, while the senior team prepares for Sunday’s challenge, a separate squad largely composed of under-23 and local-based players is set to face Tanzania in their COSAFA Cup opener a day earlier, with a double dose of success set to boost morale significantly.

Congo DR International Friendlies form:

Congo DR form (all competitions):

Madagascar form (all competitions):

Team News

Congo head coach Desabre is expected to make a few tweaks to the team that started against Mali, with Cedrik Bakambu and Nathanael Mbuku pushing for starting berths after coming off the bench last time out.

Yoane Wissa, who replaced the injured Theo Bongonda in the 24th minute, looks likely to feature from the outset, while Trabzonspor forward Simon Banza may be handed his first minutes of the window after remaining an unused substitute.

Madagascar head coach Martins has named a 24-man squad for this fixture, with the headline inclusions being Bryan Adinany and Scotty Sadzoute, both of whom have pledged their allegiance to Barea and could earn their senior debuts.

However, preparations have been overshadowed by off-field unrest, with reports from Africasoccer revealing that Loic Lapoussin and Marco Ilaimaharitra have left camp following a dispute over unpaid bonuses.

Adding to the uncertainty, the availability of forwards Hakim Abdallah and Caddy Warren remains in doubt, as both players are yet to report to the training ground.

Congo DR possible starting lineup:

Bertaud; Kalulu, Batubinsika, Mbemba, Masuaku; Kayembe, Moutoussamy, Pickel; Wissa, Bakambu, Banza

Madagascar possible starting lineup:

Laiton; Acapandie, Demoleon, Berajo, Busset; Johan, Raveloson; Randrianantenaina, Rakotonomenjanahary, Noireau-Dauriat; Adinany 

We say: Congo DR 2-0 Madagascar

Congo step into this contest as overwhelming favourites given their commanding record in this fixture and red-hot streak, while the disarray in Madagascar’s camp could make the task considerably more straightforward for the Leopards.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi

Previews by email