“Bravo to my players!” DR Congo U-20 coach Bukasa hails team after historic run

DR Congo U-20 national team head coach Guy Bukasa commended his players after Monday’s loss to South Africa in the quarterfinals of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. An extra time goal eliminated the Congolese side from the tournament.

Bukasa stated that his national side deserved respect for their achievements in the U-20 AFCON:

Bukasa further noted that DR Congo fought hard until the final whistle but lacked the finishing touch. “They earned the right to play these 120 high-quality minutes. I think we played really well. What we lacked was efficiency—putting the ball in the back of the net. In the future, when they move up to the next level, with other coaches of course, they will be able to apply what they learned here. Truly, a well-deserved tribute to my players. They fought until the very last minute.”

The Congo coach also praised South Africa and the way their opponents performed during the quarterfinal match. “In our analysis, we saw that it was a very intense match. Two quality teams. South Africa, in this competition, is one of the teams that plays beautiful football—I would even say very beautiful football. Since their U-17 days, it is a country I know very well. They work well, consistently. They are regulars in COSAFA tournaments.”

Bukasa also took time to reflect on youth football in the UNIFFAC region:

The quarterfinal finish at the 2025 edition of the U-20 AFCON is the best result DR Congo has achieved in their history at the competition.