DR Congo vs Tanzania: TV channel, live stream, team news and preview

Tanzania will begin their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign with an away game against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.

Taifa Stars under Danish coach Kim Poulsen are pooled in Group J of the qualifiers alongside Benin and Madagascar and will play the Leopards in their opener at Stade TP Mazembe before they return home to host Madagascar on September 7 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch

In Tanzania, the game will be LIVE on TV.

Squads & Team News

DR Congo coach Hector Cuper has outlined his plans for the team heading into the qualifiers insisting they will strive to end their long wait of reaching the competition in Qatar.

Congo’s last appearance at the World Cup came in 1974 and the 65-year-old Argentinian is confident they will make things right in this campaign.

“We came to some important conclusions after our first two friendlies and we're trying very hard to make corrections," Cuper explained to Fifa.com. “The only obstacle to our ambitions is the time factor. We're working on the squad's intensity and cohesion, and we're staying focused on our upcoming opponents.

“This country's absence from the World Cup for 47 years boosted my motivation when I accepted this job. Now, I'm making the most of being able to prepare in good conditions and I'm staying optimistic.”

On facing Tanzania, Cuper said: “What I'm really hoping for is that everyone feels convinced it's possible [to qualify]. We'll have to be united and extremely motivated because we'll be playing to give joy and pleasure to the Congolese people.”

Probable XI for DR Congo: Matampi, Bahumeto, Kimwaki, Bokadi, Lomalisa, Litombo, Munganga, Miche, Lusala, Tulengi, Bolingi.

Position	Tanzania squad
Goalkeepers	Aishi Manula (Simba SC), Metacha Mnata (Unattached), Ramadhan Kabwili (Young Africans), and Wilbol Maseke (Azam FC).
Defenders	Shomari Kapombe, Israel Mwenda, Mohammed Hussein, Erasto Nyoni and Kenned Wilson (Simba SC), Bakari Mwamnyeto, Dickson Job (Young Africans), Lusajo Mwaikenda (KMC), and Nickson Kibabage (Youssofia, Morocco).
Midfielders	Mudathir Yahya, Salum Abubakar, Ayoub Lyanga, Abdulrazack Mohammed (Azam FC), Zawadi Mauya, Feisal Salum (Young Africans), Mzamiru Yassin (Simba SC), Novatus Dismas (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel), and Abdul Suleiman (Coastal Union).
Forwards	Simon Msuva (Wydad Club, Morocco), Mbwana Samatta (Fenerbahce, Turkey), John Bocco (Simba SC), Meshack Mwamita (Gwambina FC), and Iddy Seleman (Azam FC).

Tanzania coach Poulsen will bank on strikers Mbwana Samatta and Simon Msuva to register a flying start and has also asked his players to be very cautious when they come up against the Leopards.

“When you play a World Cup qualifier away, with an opponent like DR Congo, a team with a lot of experienced players, you need to be very careful. That’s why I included a number of experienced players too that can keep the fight on,” Poulsen said as quoted by CafOnline.

Probable XI for Tanzania: Manula, Kapombe, Mwenda, Nyoni, Mwamnyeto, Yahya, Salum, Lyanga, Samatta, Bocco, Msuva.

Match Preview

Tanzania have the upper hand heading into the fixture as they have a better record from the last four matches played as they have won two, drawn one, and lost one.

The last time the two teams met was in 2018 during a friendly which Tanzania won 2-0 courtesy of goals from Samatta and Shiza Kichuya at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium while in the previous meeting, the contest ended in a 0-0 draw.

In 2019, another friendly contest at Uhuru Stadium saw DR Congo pick their first win against Taifa Stars after registering a 2-0 result while in 2006, Tanzania won 2-0 in another build-up.