Top scorer and best player at the recent UNIFAC U20 tournament in Cameroon, Chaïda Mabondzo is now the pride of her country, Congo Brazzaville. A look back at an unforgettable achievement.
"For me, Chaïda Mabondzo is one of the players to watch throughout this Coupe de la Ville," was Paul Samba's comment this morning. It was with this sentiment that the President of the Ligue nationale de soccer féminin du Congo-Brazzaville travelled to the Alphonse Massamba-Débat stadium, where the Coupe de la ville de soccer féminin kicks off this afternoon, February 24.A feeling far from trivial. The head of the Women's Football League still remembers the feat achieved by Chaïda Mabondzo at the UNIFAC women's U20 tournament, held in Cameroon from February 13 to 15, 2024. "She gave us great pleasure. She's the pride of an entire nation," continues Paul Samba.
For having equalized while the Red Devils were led by the Central African Republic in the last match, Chaïda Mabondzo will also be the author of a decisive pass which allowed her partner and compatriot Destinée Malembé to score the winning goal. Enough for UNIFAC to award her the trophies for best scorer and best player. And although the Congolese women who had been corrected by the host country 3-0 only occupied second place at the end of the competition, the two trophies constitute a reason for satisfaction not only for her, but also for her comrades .
“It consoles us”
"In terms of sport, if we don't win a tournament, we have to at least leave with a trophy. And we did it. It consoles us and it consoles an entire collective", confides Gloire Danielle Kouangou, defensive midfielder of the The national team of the Epah-Ngamba club from Pointe-Noire which was part of this Cameroonian campaign.
For those responsible, Chaïda Mabondzo saved the country. "Our girls were trailing and therefore on the verge of defeat. And morale was at its lowest, especially when we thought about the correction during the first match against the Cameroonians (0-3, Editor's note). But as a good attacker, she sounded the revolt and equalized. Thus, by supporting the team, Chaïda saved an entire collective and an entire country", says Paul Samba.
Not very talkative, the native of the town of Nkayi wants to be modest and intends to "work even harder to go even further with her club and her national team". But through Chaïda Mabondzo, women's football in Congo-Brazzaville can nourish the hope of carving out a place of choice on an international scale.
Alone in the desert
However, the path seems difficult. Particularly due to the lack of playing time due to the scarcity of competitions. A state of affairs which is largely explained by the eternal question of modesty of means. For those responsible, competitions must be created. "We are a new structure which has only existed for two years. So, we are faced with a problem of resources for the organization of the competitions. But the means are being sought. This is why we appealed to the town hall of Brazzaville. It is an additional competition outside the championship and the national cup. So, it is an additional gain in terms of playing time for our girls, as the UEFA experts recommended to us. last year", explains Paul Samba. And if all goes well, Chaïda Mabondzo could well be the effigy of this renewal.
