Back with a chance of being among the medals after failing to reach the past three finals, Congo will hope to revive memories of 1972.

The Red Devils were at only their second Nations Cup - but reached the final and snatched a dramatic victory against Mali after scoring three goals in five minutes.

The peaks of Congolese football have been matched by deep troughs. The 80s and late 90s were wilderness years which saw the country's football suffer against the backdrop of war and civil strife.

The current political situation has not helped either, and the Red Devils qualified for the tournament against the odds.

Congo are under no illusions of the magnitude of the task if they are to qualify.

The team do include a few old hands like keeper Brice Simba and midfielder Florent Baloki, to add to the emerging talent of Bundesliga star Rolf Guie-Mien.

But being realistic, the team that coach David Memy can assemble cannot compare on paper to those of his Group D rivals.

But with nothing to lose, Congo have the potential to cause the shock of the tournament.

Congo squad
		Coach: David Memy
		Brice Samba	Africa Sports, Ivory Coast
		Annicet Bitoumbou	Etoile du Congo
		Luc-Arsene Diamesso	BV Cloppenburg, Germany
		Jean-Sylvestre Nkeoua	Africa Sports, Ivory Coast
		Camille Oponga	Red Star, France
		Bedel Moyimbouabeka	FC 105 Libreville, Gabon
		Richard Bokatola-Lossombo	Karlsruhe, Germany
		Rock Embingou	VfL Halle, Germany
		Richard Akiana	Red Star, France
		Elie Rock Malonga	BV Cloppenburg, Germany
		Oscar Ewolo	Amiens, France
		Macchambes Younga Mounhani	Fortuna Cologne, Germany
		Maurice Ntounou	Pacy Sur Eure, France
		Rolf-Christel Guie Mien	Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany
		Toussaint Service	Etoile du Congo
		Thierry Etouayo	ASEC Abidjan, Ivory Coast
		Modeste Eta	TP Mystere
		Lucien Fils Ibara	Bureholzhausen, Germany
		George Ngoma Nanitelamio	Sabe, Ivory Coast
		Francis Mackaya	VfR Aalen, Germany
		Jules Tchimbakala	Le Mans, France
		Mouko Barel	Manchester Congo