DR Congo will be without VfB Stuttgart forward Silas Katompa Mvumpa for Friday’s international friendly against Burkina Faso in Morocco, Ducor Sports can report.
The 23-year-old, who received his maiden DR Congo call-up, will not travel with the team to the North African nation after a phone conversation with national team head coach Sebastien Desabre.
Katompa’s latest withdrawal has raised another round of questions about his commitment to the national course following his controversial pull-out from 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against Morocco.
The recently hit the headlines following his admission that he had been playing under a false identity.
According to BBC, the player was then known as Silas Wamangituka and was voted as the Bundesliga rookie of the season in 2020-21 after scoring 13 goals in all competitions.
The discrepancy occurred when the Kinshasa-born striker was invited to a trial at age 18 by Belgian club Anderlecht in 2017.
Anderlecht were interested in contracting him but advised him to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo before his visa expired and return after applying for a new one.
He confessed that an agent in Belgium told the player he would not be able to return to Europe if he left Belgium and returned to Congo.
DR Congo will take on Burkina Faso on September 23 before playing against Sierra Leone four days later in another friendly match in Morocco.
DR Congo squad:
Goalkeepers: Joel Kiassumbua (AC Bellinzona, Switzerland), Lionel Mpasi (Rodez, France), Baggio Siadi (TP Mazembe).
Defenders: Chadrack Isaka Boka (Saint Eloi Lupopo), Merveille Bokadi (Standard Liege, Belgium), Idumba Fasika (Cape Town City, South Africa), Henoc Inonga Baka (Simba, Tanzania), Gedeon Kalulu (Lorient, France), Arthur Masuaku (Besiktas, Turkey), Chancel Mbemba (Marseille, France), Dieumerci Amale (El Jadida, Morocco).
Midfielders: Samuel Bastien (Burnley, England), Theo Bongonda (Cadiz, Spain), Edo Kayembe (Watford, England), Neeskens Kebano (Fulham, England), Makabi Lilepo (Al Hilal, Sudan), Miche Mika (Saint Eloi Lupopo), Samuel Moutoussamy (Nantes, France), Fabrice Ngoma (Al Fehayheel, Kuwait), Yoane Wissa (Brentford, England).
Strikers: Chadrac Akolo (Saint Gallen, Switzerland), Cedric Bakambu (Marseille, France), Philippe Kinzumbi (TP Mazembe), Meshack Elia (Young Boys, Switzerland), Arnaud Lusamba (Antalyaspor, Turkey), Ben Malango (Qatar SC, Qatar), Jackson Muleka (Besiktas,Turkey), Silas Katompa Mvumpa (Stuttgart, Germany).
