Linafoot Update: Defending champions Les Aigles and traditional powers remain top

The first phase of DR Congo’s Linafoot (a.k.a. Illicocash Ligue 1) is approaching the end and the league’s well known heavyweights are in strong positions in their respective groups to advance to the final championship phase.

Over the weekend, reigning champions Les Aigles du Congo further strenghtened their hold on top spot in Group B, based in the capital of Kinshasa, with a 1-0 result over AC Rangers.

The club only came into formation in 2023 but has quickly established itself among the likes of Linafoot powerhouses such as TP Mazembe, FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo, AS Maniema Union and AS Vita Club as a consistent force in Congolese club football. Kikwama Mujinga scored the only goal in Saturday’s victory after excellent work on the right wing from Tongaïzo Ifofa.

Les Samouraïs lead Group B by seven points now with only a handful of matches remaining. In second place is 15-time champions AS Vita Club. Les Dauphins Noirs lost ground in their pursuit of Les Aigles after being held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by relegation fighters FC Renaissance on Saturday.

Eliezer Nyembua took advantage of sloppy play in the Renaissance defense to open the scoring in favor of VClub after the hour mark. However, Manu Bola Lobota finished in stoppage time for a late equalizer after getting on the end of a free kick to give Renaissance a crucial point.

AS Maniema Union, currently occupied with CAF Confederation Cup duties, are in third place with four points separating them from VClub. A fierce battle continues on for the final qualification place with only three points separating fourth place FC Celeste from eighth place Etoile de Kivu, with the likes of famous club DC Motema Pembe also in contention.

In the Lubumbashi-based Group A, there is less doubt regarding which four clubs will advance to the final stage. TP Mazembe, who failed to qualify for CAF interclub competition after a disastrous 2024-25 season, are tied atop the group with rivals FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo.

Before continuing their CAF Champions League campaign over the weekend, Lupopo decisively defeated midtable side AS Saint-Luc 4-0 early last week in their last Linafoot fixture before shocking Algerian club MC Alger at the Stade TP Mazembe on Sunday.

TP Mazembe have not been in action over the last week but are level with Lupopo on 39 points, with both teams’ tickets all but punched to the next stage. AS Simba and CS Don Bosco are the other teams who appear set to join them in the championship phase, even though Don Bosco fell to a 0-1 defeat against AS New Sogar.

Aigles du Congo, who are not in CAF competition after falling in the qualifying stages of the CAF Champions League, will return to action on Tuesday with an intriguing clash against DC Motema Pembe. Linafoot Action will pick up over the remainder of the week with Mazembe among the teams in action.

Linafoot: Group A & Group B Tables