Kinshasa, April 13th, 2025 (CPA) – Three matches initially scheduled for Saturday have been rescheduled for Sunday, due to the high stakes involved, in Group B of the National League of Soccer (LINAFOOT) championship in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), CPA learns from a press release issued on Saturday. “Maniema Union-Motema Pembe, on April 13th, at 2.30pm, in Kindu, at Joseph Kabila stadium; AF Anges Verts-New JAK, on April 13th at 3.30pm, in Kinshasa, at Tata Raphaël stadium and OC Renaissance du Congo-Céleste FC, at 3.30pm, at Martyrs stadium”, it read. The press release, dated Friday April 11th, 2025 and signed by Antoine Luzizila Mbala, LINAFOOT deputy national secretary, gave the twofold reason for the postponement: “the secretariat of the National Football League (LINAFOOT) informs sporting opinion, in general, and the teams in Group B, engaged in the 30th edition of the Ligue 1 national championship, in particular that, for organizational reasons and the problem of air traffic, the DCMP having no possibility of reaching Kindu until Saturday April 12th, 2025, as well as the stakes involved in these three matches”. According to LINAFOOT statistics consulted by CPA on Saturday, Motema Pembe, AF Anges Verts from the DRC capital Kinshasa and Céleste FC from Mbandaka in the north-western province of Equateur are all in the running for the remaining play-off places. As for the other three clubs, AS Maniema Union of Kindu, Group B leaders, have already qualified, while OC Renaissance of Congo and New JAK of Kinshasa, who are out of the running for the play-offs but have been admitted to the play-downs, will meet their respective opponents, just for their honor.
Group B standings with 24 hours to go:
AS Maniema Union (1st, 43 pts), Les Aigles du Congo (2nd, 41 pts), AC Rangers (3rd, 34 pts), AS V. Club (4th, 29 pts), AF Anges Verts (5th, 26 pts), Céleste FC (6th, 25 pts), DCMP (7th, 24 pts), OC Renaissance du Congo (8th, 20 pts), AS Dauphin Noir de Goma (9th, 19 pts), AC Kuya (10th, 19 pts), New JAK (11th, 15 pts), Etoile du Kivu (12th, 14 pts, 11 matches) and Bukavu Dawa (13th, 13 pts).