DR Congo revived their hopes of qualifying for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals with a crucial 2-0 away victory over Gabon in Franceville on Sunday night.

In the Group I fixture at Stade de Franceville, Congo under manager Sebastien Desabre needed a goal in either half courtesy of Aaron Tshibola in the 34th minute and Fiston Mayele, in the 83rd minute to stun the home side, who celebrated the return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Chelsea striker was handed a start after his decision to rescind quitting the national team, but it was the Leopards, who looked more lively in the opening exchanges, and in the 34th minute, a well-executed corner found Tshibola, who expertly redirected the ball into the net for the opener.

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Congo continued to assert their dominance against the Panthers as the game progressed and in the 83rd minute, substitute Mayele, who turns for Tanzanian Premier League champions Young Africans (Yanga SC), proved his prowess, latching onto a long pass from Meschak Elia, to register his first international goal.

The introduction of Aubameyang, who featured for the entire 90 minutes, did not help Gabon as they only managed two shots on target. The victory moved Desabre’s men to the top of the group with seven points, level with Gabon. Meanwhile, Sudan and Mauritania sit closely behind with six and five points respectively, setting the stage for an intense showdown on Tuesday.