Kinshasa, December 16th, 2025 (CPA). – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has defeated Zambia 2-0 on Tuesday at the Pinatar Arena stadium in Murcia, Spain, in a friendly match ahead of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (CAN), scheduled to take place from December 21st, 2025, to January 18th, 2026, in Morocco.
The Leopards of DRC have opened the scoring through Arthur Maswaku (21st minute) and led 1-0 at half-time. After the break, the Leopards have doubled their lead with a header from Rocky Bushiri (72nd minute), following a corner kick from right to left by Arthur Maswaku, who had scored the first goal and then turned into a provider. From the left flank, DRC Fauves full-back have unleashed a shot from a long cross that has sent the ball bouncing past the Zambians’ goalkeeper, leaving him stunned and the ball bouncing into the back of the net.
The Congolese and Zambians have left the pitch with this result.
The Congolese Fauves will now continue their training camp in Alicante, Spain, until December 18th, before heading to Morocco, the host country of the 35th edition of the CAN.
DRC and Zambia in the past
In the past, the Leopards of DRC and the Chipolo-Polos of Zambia last met in 2024 at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, in a match that ended 1-1. For the first time, the two countries met in Cairo, Egypt, in a double final in 1974. The first of these AFCON matches, played on March 14th, has seen the Leopards of Zaire and the Chipolo-Polos of Zambia, then known as KK Eleven (Kenneth Kaunda’s 11), neutralize each other with a score of 2-2. Finally, on the 16th of the same month, still in Cairo, for the first and only time in the history of the CAN, the replayed final ended in a 2-0 victory for DRC, giving the Leopards their second continental title.
It should also be noted that in November 1969, in a friendly match at the Tata Raphael stadium, DRC had humiliated Zambia with a resounding 10-1 victory, the Leopards’ most impressive performance in the history of Congolese football. CPA/