14th November, 2014
Coach of Congolese’s Red Devils, Claude Le Roy, has boasted that his boys are poised to re-enact the wonderful performance that saw them beating African champions, Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Calabar in the first fixture when both sides clash in 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Stade Municipal in Pointe-Noire tomorrow.
Le Roy’s team have already beaten Nigeria once in the group so far, winning 3-2 in Calabar in September courtesy of Thievy Bifouma’s brace.
Victory for Congo would seal a place in next year’s competition, with the AFCON 2015 venue yet to be confirmed after Morocco was stripped of hosting duties due to disagreements with CAF over a potential postponement.
“I’m sure that we shall qualify for next year’s Nations Cup because we are not going to lose at home to Nigeria,” Le Roy told RFI. “The magic for us was beating Nigeria in Calabar, that result was so crucial for us and we are not going to let our effort go in vain when Nigeria comes to Congo.”
Reigning African champions coached by Stephen Keshi face an uphill task of beating the Red Devils of Congo in Pointe Noire in other to keep alive their hopes for qualifying for the biggest continental showpiece.
Misery, frustration, sabotage, ill- preparation, chaos, and sloppy performances have been the lot of the Eagles since the beginning of the 2015 qualifying series with the disappointing loss to Congo in Calabar.
Nigerians usually would turn spiritual when faced with a tough football situation like this-whether it works would just be guess work but we have come out unscathed a couple of times. It is this same usual line that Stephen Keshi has taken once more.
“I pray that on Saturday Nigerians will be happy and in a very good mood by God’s grace,” Keshi told Brila FM early today from the Eagles’ hotel in Congo. Keshi said the team have worked hard enough and the result will show on Saturday.