Debutants Mauritania set for baptism

 
Mauritania announce their arrival on the African stage on Tuesday in Polokwane when they take on DR Congo in the two sides’ 2014 CHAN Group D opener at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
The match will mark Mauritania’s international competitive debut and also see their coach Patrice Neveu's reunion party with the team he coached between 2008 and 2010, DR Congo.


However, Neveu was not in charge of DR Congo's race to the 2009 CHAN finals, but instead that job was left to one of his local deputies Santos Mutubile who is set for an unprecedented third tournament tour as coach.
Neveu insists Mauritania are the underdogs heading into the game despite their giant-killing act in the qualifiers after eliminating favourites Senegal in the final qualifying stage.

"I coached the Congo from 2009-2010. DRC won the first CHAN. Mutubile Santos, the current coach of the DRC, was already there in 2009. I know the league and the Congolese players Tout Puissant Mazembe, Vita Club of DCMP," Neveu said.
Neveu, however, added that a bright start could almost certainly decide their destiny in Group D that also includes Burundi and Gabon.

Meanwhile, milestone-setting DR Congo who return for a third successive CHAN will be looking to put their recent pre-tournament woes behind them.
DR Congo was hit by logistical hitches during the early part of the pre-tournament camping in Polokwane that included a brief hotel eviction episode.

On the pitch, DR Congo lost and drew their two training games in the week leading up to kick-off against Black Leopards and Polokwane City respectively.
Furthermore, DR Congo will be without its talismanic attacking midfielder Tresor Mputu who was dropped after uncertainty over his CHAN eligibility following a pending move to Angola club Kabuscorp.
But Mutubile remains upbeat that the 2009 champions will overcome their pre-tournament distractions and redeem themselves as they chase a record second CHAN title after tumbling at the quarterfinals in the 2011 tournament in Sudan to surrender their crown.