DR Congo coach Florent Ikwange Ibenge has named a team of 28 for a warm-up match against World Cup bound Nigeria on 28th May in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
The tie will precede the Super Eagles’ final World Cup friendly against the Three Lions of England on 2nd June at Wembley Stadium.
Ibenge, who also doubles up as the manager of Linafoot giants AS Vita Club blended the squad with 11 home-based professionals with the rest being foreign-based.
Featuring prominently in the list is TP Mazembe prodigy Ben Malango, who is enjoying a scintillating form with the Ravens currently.
Malango, a graduate of Moise Katumbi Academy, is the leading top scorer in the Linafoot with 18 goals.
On Tuesday he scored in Mazembe’s 2-0 win over Difaa El Jadida of Morocco in the African Champions League.
Also headlining the list is former Villereal goal-poacher Cedric Bakambu who has taken the Chinese topflight by storm with his scoring prowess.
Conspicuously missing is former TP Mazembe goalkeeper Ley Matampi who is now a free agent.
On Monday Nigeria’s German manager Gernot Rohr named a 30-man provisional squad for the forthcoming World Cup in Russia.
The team will play DRC and England before it is trimmed to 23 for the final World Cup squad.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group D in Russia, alongside Argentina, Iceland and Croatia, who they open their tournament against in Kiliningrad on June 16.
DR Congo Squad;
- Joël Kiassumbua (FC Lugano/ Suisse)
- Anthony Mossi Ngawi (Chiasso / Suisse)
- Auguy Kalambay (SM Sanga Balende/ RD Congo)
- Djo Issama Mpeko (TP Mazembe/RD Congo)
- Wilfried Moke (Koniaspor/ Turquie)
- Kevin Mandeko (TPM Mazembe/ RD Congo)
- Chancel Mbemba Mangulu (New Castel/ Grande Bretagne)
- Christian Luyindama Nekadio (Standard de Liège/ Belgique)
- Yannick Bangala Litombo (AS V.Club/ RD Congo)
- Kabongo Kasongo (Zamalek/ Égypte)
- Chikito Lema Mabidi (Raja Casablanca/ Maroc)
- Bobo Beaudrick Ungenda Muselenge (Primeiro do Agosto/ Angola)
- Ricky Tulengi Sindani (DCMP/ RD Congo)
- Ben Malango Ngita (TP Mazembe/ RD Congo)
- Aaron Tshibola (Kilmarnock FC/ Écosse)
- Nelson Munganga Omba (AS V.Club/ RD Congo)
- Arsène Zola (TP Mazembe/ RD Congo)
- Glody Ngonda Muzinga (AS V.Club/ RD Congo)
- Fabrice Ngoma Luamba (AS V.Club/ RD Congo)
- Paul-José Mpoku (Standard de Liège/ Belgique)
- Gaël Kakuta (Amiens SC/ France)
- Chadrack Akolo Ababa (VFB Stuttgart/ Allemagne)
- Cédric Bakambu (Beijing Guoan/ Chine)
- Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton)/ Grande Bretagne)
- Britt Assombalanga (Middlesbourgh/ Grande Bretagne)
- Harrisson Manzala Amiens SC/ France)
- Firmin Mubele Ndombe (FC Toulouse/ France)
- Padoue Bompunga Botuli (AS V.Club/ RD Congo)
Nigeria Squad;
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Dele Ajiboye (Plateau United)
Defenders: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Ado Den Haag, The Netherlands); Olaoluwa Aina (Hull City, England); Elderson Echiejile (Cercle Brugge KSV, Belgium); Brian Idowu (Amkar Perm, Russia); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); William Ekong (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Stephen Eze (Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Bulgaria)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Tianjin Teda, China); Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (UD Las Palmas, Spain); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Uche Agbo (Standard Liege, Belgium); Joel Obi (Torino FC, Italy); Mikel Agu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Nwankwo Simeon (Crotone FC, Italy); Junior Lokosa (Kano Pillars)
