Author: Michael Mbuyi

Football as a Corporate Compass The resonant roar that usually greets ships at the Port autonome de Pointe-Noire yielded, in early December, to the cheers of employees clad in the colours of their respective departments. From 6 to 20 December 2025, Africa Global Logistics Congo launched its first “CAN des Champions”, a four-team football showcase designed to transpose onto the pitch the values that underpin the logistics heavyweight’s continental ambitions. Inspired by AGL’s status as Official Logistics Sponsor of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, the tournament served as both a celebration and a dress rehearsal for…

A milestone finale on the Atlantic coast With a burst of rhythmic chants that echoed across the esplanade of the Pointe-Noire sports complex, Zanaga Sport sealed a 35-29 victory over local favourite Bana-Fofo and inscribed its name in Congolese sporting history. The 28 December showdown concluded the maiden Inter-Departmental Nzango Tournament, curated by the Association of Inter-Society Fraternities Sport (AFIS) under the honorary presidency of Eric Parfait Sassou. Sixteen women’s teams drawn from Brazzaville, Bouenza, Niari and Pointe-Noire converged on the Atlantic coast over eight spirited days in what observers hailed as the most ambitious celebration of the traditional kicking-based…

Regional surge for sport as a public good The idea that physical activity should extend far beyond elite competition has gained remarkable traction across Africa during the last decade. This momentum crystallised in Abidjan between 24 and 29 November 2025, at the inaugural International Festival of Sport for All convened by the African Confederation of Sport for All under the stewardship of its president, Marie-Laure Essan. Delegates representing twenty-six nations, international health specialists and non-profit leaders agreed on a shared objective: transforming recreational exercise into a cornerstone of collective well-being. José Cyr Ebina’s mandate and credentials Within that forum the…

A Home Crowd Witnesses a Clinical Display The late-afternoon humidity at the Alphonse-Massamba-Débat Stadium seemed to favour the hosts, yet few expected such an offensive avalanche. Within half an hour AS Otoho had already pierced Chabab Riadhi Belouizdad’s rearguard three times, announcing a 4-1 statement win that has instantly reshuffled the hierarchy of Group C of the CAF Confederation Cup 2025-2026. Forward Jacques Ndéckét Bowamba unlocked the contest in the 11th minute with a deft first-time finish at the near post. Midfielder Bandiougou Diallo doubled the tally on 25 minutes by guiding a low drive beyond the Algerian goalkeeper, and…

German 3. Liga drama lifts Rot-Weiss Essen On a windswept afternoon in Saarbrücken, Rot-Weiss Essen snatched a 3–2 victory that will long be remembered in North-Rhine football circles. The denouement bore a distinctly Congolese signature when left-back Franci Bouebari Kitsamoutse, introduced in the seventy-ninth minute, charged into the area and guided a composed finish beyond Tim Schreiber on the stroke of regulation time. It was the Strasbourg-trained defender’s maiden goal in nine league appearances since Freiburg secured his loan move in late August, and it propelled Essen into the tightly packed upper mid-table. Observers inside the Ludwigspark Stadion noted the…

Nouakchott’s Finals Showcase Congolese Tenacity At sunset on 28 November, the iron boules clicked with an almost musical cadence on the compacted sand of Nouakchott’s municipal arena. By the time the last point was tallied, Congo-Brazzaville’s national pétanque selection had risen to a meritorious second place at the African Championship, conceding the gold only to the seasoned Tunisian side in a balanced final that closed 13-8. For a delegation that travelled with modest means and virtually no centralised training camp, the silver medal resounded far beyond sport, symbolising resourcefulness and collective will. From Limited Preparation to Continental Podium The championship,…

Continental echoes of Congolese talent Every weekend European stadiums offer a revealing barometer of Congolese football’s state of health. The latest round of fixtures, stretching from Italy’s Lombardy to the banks of the Volga, presents a nuanced tableau: collective disappointment in Bergamo, razor-edge leadership battles in Georgia and nerve-racking cup survival in Russia. Each storyline involves a player eligible for the Diables rouges, and together they sketch the outlines of a national pool that continues to mature far from the Congolese grass pitches. Coppa Serie C exit tests the mettle of Digne Pounga At the Stadio Città di Vercelli, Atalanta…

Expanded squad lists reshape tactical planning In a virtual briefing that gathered officials from the twenty-four qualified national associations, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee confirmed that each delegation to the TotalE&P-sponsored Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will be permitted to wp-signup.php twenty-eight footballers. The names must be drawn from a pre-approved list of fifty-five submitted well in advance of the tournament window that stretches from 21 December to 18 January on Moroccan soil. According to CAF, the enlarged quota is designed to grant head coaches “more flexibility in squad management”, a consideration that has…

A revered voice returns to the arena Few Congolese figures command as much reverence among supporters as Théophile Bagamboula-Mbemba, universally known as “Tostao”. Half a century after lifting the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations, the former striker has stepped back into the public debate with an appeal for a far-reaching renaissance of domestic football. In an exclusive exchange granted to local media, he sketched both the malaise affecting the Red Devils and the avenues he deems essential for recovery. His intervention comes at a delicate juncture. The national team has missed the last five continental finals, and clubs struggle to…

Cypriot Super Cup: A Penalty-Drama That Teaches Resilience The season in Cyprus opened with a contest that rarely deceives neutrals: a Super Cup inevitable collision between the league champions, Pafos FC, and the Cup holders, AEK Larnaka. The ninety minutes closed on a tight 1-1 draw, and the final verdict emerged only after a relentless series of penalties, 5-4 in favour of Larnaka. For Pafos, Congolese striker Mons Bassouamina remained an unused substitute, while versatile midfielder Jérémie Gnali started and fought until the 77th minute before giving way as fatigue seeped through humid Limassol air. Although neither expatriate forced the…