Cameroon targets opening win

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon will both be looking to get their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers off to a winning start when they meet in their Group D opener at the Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi on Saturday afternoon.

This match will see AS Vita coach Florent Ibenge leading the national team for the first time in an official match following his recent appointment as the interim coach.

Ibenge called up a balanced squad with local and European-based players and his charges defeated local club side TP Mazembe 2-1 in a training match on Tuesday.

Cameroon have kept coach Volker Finke despite a disappointing 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign which saw them losing all three group matches to exit the group stage.

Long-serving captain Samuel Eto’o has recently retired from international football and Finke has moved swiftly to appoint Sevilla midfielder Stephane M’Bia as the new skipper.

"I am honoured and humbled,’ M’Bia told reporters.

“For me, it’s not really about the captaincy - we are a group and a team. We will try to do everything to take the national team back to the highest level possible.

"We are in a situation where the people of Cameroon need to dream again and that is what drives us.”

The two sides met in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with Cameroon winning 1-0 at home, while the return fixture in Congo ended in a 0-0 draw.