The Democratic Republic of Congo opened their campaign in Chan with a slim 1-0 win over their rivals Congo at the Stade Omnisport de Douala on Sunday night.
Chico Ushindi wa Kubanza was the hero as his second-half strike handed his team maximum points in Group B.
The Leopards have had a good run in the second-tier competition and remain the most successful having won it a record two times in 2009 and 2016 in Ivory Coast and Rwanda respectively.
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They were playing the Red Devils whose last win against them was way back on July 28, 2013.