CHAN 2023: Robert Kidiaba among the legends invited by CAF for the draw on Saturday in Algiers

Kinshasa, September 30^th, 2022 (CPA) – Former Congolese international goalkeeper, Robert Kidiaba Muteba, has been selected among the African legends invited by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), to take part on Saturday October 1^st in Algiers, at the draw ceremony for the group stage of the 7^th edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), Algeria 2023.

They are 7 legends in total, namely: the Libyan Mohamed Nasnoush, the Tunisian Aymen Mathlouthi the Congolese Robert Kidiaba, the Algerian Albelmoumene Djabou, two Sudanese Hytham Mustafa and Mohamed Tahir, and finally, the Ghanaian Emmanuel Agyeman Badu.

Of all the legends invited, Robert Kidiaba is obviously the one with an ambitious record, first with 61 selections with the Leopards of DRC from 2002 to 2015 as goalkeeper, with whom he won the first edition of CHAN in 2009 and the bronze medalist at CAN 2015. With TP Mazembe, he was winner of CAF Champions League (2009, 2010 and 2015) and two CAF Super Cups (2010 and 2011) and finalist of the Club World Cup in 2010. For the moment, Kidiaba is a goalkeeper coach with TP Mazembe and the national team, the Leopards.

18 nations will be divided into 5 groups

The eighteen nations qualified for the current edition will be divided into 5 groups, including three with four nations, and two others with three nations each. These are the following countries: Algeria (host country), Morocco, Libya; Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Niger, Ghana, Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Angola and Madagascar.

Of these 18 countries qualified for this 7^th CHAN meeting, DRC and Uganda are the two countries which will be participating in their 6th participation out of seven. They are regular in this competition, with the key, two titles for DRC. The Leopards only missed one edition, that of 2018 in Morocco, having been eliminated by Congo Brazzaville under the era of Zahera Mwinyi. DRC and Uganda are followed by Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Libya, Morocco and Mali, which will be their 5^th participation. On the other hand, Madagascar will be at its very first participation. It is the 32^nd nation to qualify for the final phase of this competition reserved only playing in the country.

ACP/Lys