Hibs ace in World Cup drama - and how Easter Road favourites fared during busy international break
Half a century on, former Zaire return to biggest stage after dramatic play-off win over Jamaica
Hibs favourite Rocky Bushiri is headed to the World Cup – after the Democratic Republic of Congo ended their half-century wait for a return to the biggest event in football.
The DRC, who last reached the tournament in 1974, clinched their place in dramatic fashion last night. Bushiri was an unused sub as the DRC, who were still known as Zaire when they faced Scotland, Brazil and Yugoslavia in West Germany 52 years ago, beat Jamaica 1-0 in a tense international play-off. A goal from Axel Tuanzebe in extra time saw the African side triumph in Guadalajara, Mexico, guaranteeing the DRC progress to face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K this summer.
Iconic celebrations in Kinshasa
Bushiri was one of a number of Hibs players on international duty during the break, with the Easter Road contingent enjoying mixed fortunes.
Club record signing Thibault Klidje, on loan with Danish club FC Randers, was a second-half substitute for Togo in their 2-2 draw with Guinea, before sitting on the bench for yesterday’s 1-0 win over Niger.
Hibs pair Martin Boyle and Ante Suto, meanwhile, were both left on the bench as the Socceroos won their FIFA Series competition courtesy of a 5-1 thumping of Curacao in Melbourne. Aussie veteran Boyle, entering the closing months of his time at Easter Road and desperate to retain his national team place heading into the World Cup, played in the friendly tournament opening win over Cameroon.
Suto, born and raised in Croatia but with a dad and extended family from Melbourne, was experiencing his first taste of senior international football. Called up and singled out as a potential World Cup bolter by Socceroos boss Tony Popovic, the attacker had to make do with a role as an unused substitute in both of Australia’s games.
An injury to double goal scorer Nestory Irankunda was the closest Suto came to getting any involvement, only for the Watford star to play on after brief treatment.
Central defender injury blow
Munashe Garananga, who had fully recovered from the injury picked up late in February’s late derby loss to Hearts at Tynecastle, suffered a set-back as he limped out of Zimbabwe’s 3-0 win over Botswana in a four nations tournament. And the on-loan Copenhagen defender sat out yesterday’s 1-0 win over Zambia’s Under-23s, prompting concern over his fitness for Hibs.
Easter Road boss David Gray will now hope that all of his players – including Scotland’s Grant Hanley, back to full fitness after a hamstring injury and called up but not used by Steve Clarke in friendly defeats to Japan and Ivory Coast – returns ready for this weekend’s visit of Kilmarnock. Hibs remain six points adrift of fourth-placed Motherwell with two games to go until the Scottish Premiership split.
Although finishing fifth will be enough to qualify for European football if Celtic go onto win the Scottish Cup, only a top-four spot will guarantee a crack at the UEFA Conference League qualifiers next season. And Gray has made it clear that back-to-back involvement in UEFA competition should be his team’s top priority this season.