Kinshasa, July 30th, 2025 (CPA). -The record for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s top scorer in a single edition of the Chan, Meschack Elia, with four goals, according to ‘Rwanda and sacre of RDC’ by the late François Siki, is up for grabs with a new edition announced from August 2nd to 30th in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The current Nantes player in France was a key contributor to DRC Leopards’ victory in 2016, scoring four goals, a great performance that earned him a second distinction, that of best player of the tournament. Apart from Meschak Elia, there is also Alain Kaluyituka Dioko, who scored three goals in the final phase of the 2009 CHAN, as well as three more in the 2011 CHAN qualifiers, and finally, a single goal in the final phase of that same edition held in Sudan. The former Mazembe and V.Club striker, who turned professional in Saudi Arabia, has scored seven goals, including three in a single edition. While Alain Kaluyituka dioko stole the show with his seven goals in two appearances, according to the same document by the late François Siki Ntetani Mbemba, Meschack Elia Lina, then playing for Mazembe Lubumbashi after joining from Jogari Kinshasa, distinguished himself as the best striker with four goals to his name at the 2016 CHAN in Rwanda. With this 2016 tally, Meschack Elia relegated Kaluyituka dioko to second place, with his three goals in 2009. This earned Meschak Elia the status of top scorer for DRC’s Leopards A’ in a single campaign.
Yves Diba: the Leopards’ first goal scorer at the CHAN
Another distinction goes to Yves Diba Ilunga, who went down in history as the first player to score for DRC in the history of the CHAN. According to the document, Yves Diba, then a striker for V.Club, scored the first goal against the Red Devils of Congo Brazzaville in the 2009 CHAN qualifiers. The final score was 3-0, with goals from Yves Diba (1st), Trésor Mputu Mabi (10th) and Patou Kabangu Mulota (71st). But in the first final phase of 2009, the first goal for DRC national team was scored by Kaluyituka dioko (57th). It was on February 23rd, during DRC-Libya match (2-0), with a second goal by Serge Lofo Bongeli (67th) from a penalty kick.
DRC: no goals scored in 2022
In six editions, the Leopards’ poorest performance was in 2022 in Algeria, under the leadership of Otis Ngoma Kondi. They had a negative record across the board, with three defeats in three games and, above all, without scoring a single goal against Uganda (0-0), Ivory Coast (0-0) and Senegal (0-3). While Alain Kaluyitukadioko scored the first goal in a CHAN final phase, the last goal scored by the Congolese team to date was by Glody Lilepo Makabi against Cameroon in the quarter-finals in 2020.
Below are all the DRC’s goal scorers in the Chan
They include: Meschack Elia Lina (4 goals), Alain Kaluyitukadioko (7 goals), Serge Lofo (3 goals), Yves Bedi Mbenza (3 goals), Jean Marc Makusu Mundela (3 goals), Jonathan Bolingi Mpangi (3 goals), Trésor Mputu (2 goals), Patou Kabangu (2 goals), Amédée Masasi (2 goals), Glody Lilepo Makabi (2 goals), Yves Diba (1 goal), Salakiaku Matondo (1 goal), Kabamba Musasa (1 goal), Eric Bokanga (1 goal), Firmin Mubele (1 goal), Patou Ebunga Simbi (1 goal), Eddy Ngoy Emomo (1 goal), Guy Lusadisu (1 goal), Héritier Luvumbu Nzinga (1 goal), Nelson Munganga (1 goal), Merveille Bope Bokadi (1 goal), Doxa Gikanji (1 goal), Padou Bompunga (1 goal) and Dark Kabangu (1 goal).