Elim/CAN 2027: Baptism of Fire "Accepted" for Matthieu Epolo

Matthieu Epolo played his first official match for the Leopards of the DRC in the CAN qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea. Following Lionel Mpasi Nzau's injury, he was fielded as the starting goalkeeper, delivering a solid performance with two key saves. At 20 years old, he is among the youngest goalkeepers in the qualifiers and chose to represent the DRC despite having a pathway to play for Belgium. His performance has earned him recognition ahead of upcoming matches.