Hi Gabriel, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for us. What did you make of the qualifying campaign in general?
Firstly, our group was very tough. We had probably the toughest group, with Cameroon and Ivory Coast in the same group. We knew we had a battle on our hands. We managed to overcome Sierra Leone twice and then the big one was when we beat Ivory Coast in Abidjan.
That was the big one. I think if you do that then you definitely deserve to qualify as the best 3rd place team. We had to wait for other results but we were the best third placed team. We booked the last ticket to Equatorial Guinea and we’re happy with that.
As you say, you beat the Ivory Coast in Abidjan and in doing so inflicted their first home defeat in a competitive game for nine years. Describe the mood in the camp after the game.
In Congo we have this party atmosphere so when the national team wins a game it is always a party, but that one was extra special. We saw the footage back home. They were watching it in every area they can watch it. Every single person in the country was behind us. When we won that it was definitely the proudest moment in a very long time in my career.
can watch it. Every single person in the country was behind us. When we won that it was definitely the proudest moment in a very long time in my career.
Qualification wasn’t so straightforward. You had to wait for the results of both the Egypt v Tunisia and Nigeria v South Affrica games, both of which were being played later. Being born in Africa myself, I know intra-continental communication can be hard at times. How did the news filter through to you that you had qualified?
For us, it was completely different because we had played. And all the players that were travelling back to Europe were on the plane…actually on the plane! On the plane back to Belgium so everyone could get their connecting flights back to the countries where they play.
It was incredible. Youssouf Mulumbu went to the front of the plane and asked the captain and stewardess to call the airport to find out the scores. It was crazy [laughs[. They found out the scores. They found out Nigeria failed to win and the other game [Egypt v Tunisia] was all in our favour. We were celebrating on the plane. We were having champagne on the plane as soon as we found out!
What are the differences between the team that went to South Africa two years ago and the one that is going to Equatorial Guinea?
Gabriel Zakuani
The Peterborough and DR Congo full-back discusses how he found out they had qualified for AFCON, and life under Florent Ibenge.
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