Europa League highlights for Congolese fans
With the group stage approaching its climax, Thursday night served a mixed menu for Congolese supporters following their national heroes across Europe. From England to Portugal, several Red Devils stayed on the bench or infirmary, yet the scoreboards still shaped the race toward February’s knockout rounds.
- Europa League highlights for Congolese fans
- Makoumbou sparks Samsunspor fightback
- Lausanne suffer first European loss
- Ovouka’s header, Drita’s narrow win
- Rijeka stalemate keeps hopes alive
- What the standings mean now
- Why the diaspora factor matters
- Fans back home celebrate and analyse
- Upcoming fixtures to mark on the calendar
Nottingham Forest brushed Malmö aside 3-0 at the City Ground, keeping their perfect run intact according to the official UEFA feed, even though winger Dilane Bakwa watched from home nursing a minor strain. A continent away, Nice fell 0-3 in Porto, Brad-Hamilton Mantsounga not selected.
Makoumbou sparks Samsunspor fightback
In the Europa Conference League’s icy setting of Kópavogur, Samsunspor claimed a valuable 2-2 draw at Breidablik. Midfielder Antoine Makoumbou was everywhere: on 20 minutes he intercepted a loose pass and, without hesitation, threaded a first-time assist for Mouandjilmadji to cancel the early Icelandic opener.
He later paid for aggressive pressing, failing to stop Omarsson near the box; the forward escaped and squared for Kristinsson, author of the 72nd-minute equaliser. Samsunspor remain group leaders on goal difference, tied on ten points with Strasbourg, fresh off a 2-1 comeback against Crystal Palace.
Lausanne suffer first European loss
Swiss side Lausanne experienced their first continental defeat, falling 0-2 to Lech Poznań in Poland. Left-back Morgan Poaty featured from kick-off and left on 82 minutes as coach Ludovic Magnin looked for a spark, while centre-half Kévin Mouanga stayed on to absorb Poznań’s late pressure.
The setback leaves Lausanne thirteenth on seven points, still within touching distance of the play-off zone but conscious that the margin for error is shrinking fast. With two matchdays left, every tackle, clearance and set-piece will decide whether their maiden campaign extends into spring.
Ovouka’s header, Drita’s narrow win
In Gjilan, Raddy Ovouka helped Drita edge Shkëndija 1-0. The Congolese full-back even came close to doubling the lead on 36 minutes, directing a downward header centimetres wide under the floodlights, as reported by Kosovian broadcaster RTK, before focusing on defensive duties against the Macedonian flankers.
Victory propels the Kosovars to eighth place on eight points, an impressive return for a club living its first European autumn. Ovouka’s calm presence, honed with the Diables Rouges, has turned into a local talking point as Drita dare to dream of a historic knockout berth.
Rijeka stalemate keeps hopes alive
Further west on the Adriatic, Rijeka and AEK Larnaca signed a goalless pact that satisfied neither side. Croatian coach Sergej Jakirović left midfielder Merveil Ndockyt unused, preferring fresh legs after Sunday’s league derby, while Cypriot visitors relied on starting left-back Jérémy Gnali, booked seconds before half-time.
Rijeka slip to twenty-fourth in the overall ranking with five points, two short of the Cypriots’ eighth-placed haul. Yet defensive solidity keeps their route open: concede little, snatch a win next time, and the Balkan port city could still host continental football beyond Christmas.
What the standings mean now
As groups tighten, Congolese internationals feel the pressure. Only Nottingham Forest have mathematically secured the next round, while Samsunspor sit on the cusp with head-to-head advantage. Lausanne, Drita and Rijeka all hover in mid-table limbo, a single swing either rewarding ambition or ending the journey.
Goal difference, away goals and even disciplinary records could enter the reckoning, meaning every blocked cross matters. Coaches therefore manage minutes carefully; expect Bakwa, Mantsounga and Ndockyt to reappear soon, once knocks have healed and tactical rotations realign with the decisive penultimate round.
Why the diaspora factor matters
Beyond numbers, the week highlights how scattered Congolese talent feeds national pride. From the Premier League’s floodlit stands to Kosovo’s compact arenas, Diables Rouges alumni carry a shared flag and, importantly, gather high-level experience that head coach Paul Put values ahead of January’s friendly window.
Speaking last month, Put stressed that “club minutes abroad translate into tactical maturity for the squad”. Thursday’s mixed fortunes therefore read less as individual anecdotes and more as a collective rehearsal, one that could translate into firmer World Cup qualifying performances when competitive fixtures resume.
Fans back home celebrate and analyse
Across Brazzaville’s terraces and university dorms, supporters followed the live feeds on shared screens, celebrating Makoumbou’s assist with vuvuzelas that briefly drowned evening traffic. “He read the play like Yaya Touré,” smiled law student Irène Mbo, wrapped in a red-green-yellow scarf despite the humidity.
The same excitement turned to concern during Lausanne’s defeat, with local pundit Médard Ngatsé noting on Radio Congo that defensive lapses “must not become a habit”. Yet optimism dominated phone-in shows, callers insisting that collective form bodes well for March’s crucial Africa Cup qualifying window.
Upcoming fixtures to mark on the calendar
Looking ahead, Forest visit Porto in a potential group decider, Samsunspor entertain Palace under Samsun’s sea breeze, while Lausanne host Breidablik hoping alpine altitude provides an edge. Each kick-off promises another chapter in the sprawling diary of Congolese excellence written far from home.
