Soccer-Congo drop Brazilian coach weeks before key qualifiers

The Congo Football Federation said it had decided against offering an extension to the 57-year-old, whose contract ends on March 18, but did not give any reason. Congo is well placed to qualify for next year’s Cup of Nations finals, sitting second in Group I with seven points from their first four matches.

Former Brazil international Valdo Filho has not had his contract as national coach of Congo renewed, just weeks before vital Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Congo Football Federation said it had decided against offering an extension to the 57-year-old, whose contract ends on March 18, but did not give any reason.

Congo is well placed to qualify for next year’s Cup of Nations finals, sitting second in Group I with seven points from their first four matches. It is five less than already-qualified Senegal but four more than Guinea Bissau, which is in third place. The top two teams in the group qualify. Congo hosts Senegal on March 26 in their penultimate qualifier and then finishes the campaign away at Guinea Bissau four days later.

The Congo Football Federation said on Thursday it had appointed Barthelemy Ngatsono as a coach for the two games. Congo was last at the Cup of Nations finals in 2015 when they reached the quarter-finals but failed to qualify for the last two editions.

Valdo went to two World Cups with Brazil and played for Benfica and Paris St Germain. He was appointed Congo coach in 2018.

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