Africa's star of the weekend: The flying Congolese!

While the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations continues to produce exciting match-ups and thunderous goals by the continent's star players, one individual rose as a giant among them with his performance on the weekend.

With the pressure of an entire nation loaded on his shoulders, DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi Nzau stepped up to the challenge of a penalty shootout and emerged as a hero whose story will be told for many years to come.  

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The tournament has already delivered a number of spectacular moments, leaving spectators enthralled by late goals, shock upsets, an improved quality of football levels, as well as some bust-ups along the way.

This edition of the competition is the gift that just keeps on giving, and the round of 16 encounter between the Leopards and north African heavyweights Egypt is considered by many to have lived up to the expectations set by the matches that had preceded it. 

Egypt were considered the favourites during the build-up to that match and, as such, were pegged to be the side who would advance to the quarter-finals. Going on what has been witnessed in the tournament, though it would have been silly to rule out the possibility of another upset, which is exactly what happened. 

Meschak Elia left the Pharaohs stunned in the 37th minute when he put his predatory instincts in front of goal on display by using his head to bury the ball into the back of the net, latching on to a deflected cross by compatriot Yoane Wissa.

It did not, however, take long for the Pharaohs to hit back. Ahmed Hegazi was fouled in the DR Congo penalty area, winning his side a spot-kick and a chance to get back on level terms, and Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed seized the opportunity by converting the penalty at the end of the first half. The sides thus went into the tunnel for the half-time break on level terms, perhaps unaware that it would remain so until beyond extra-time. 

Perhaps it was Nzau's stubbornness that allowed his nation to stay on level terms. His reflexes seemed to be at peak level as he made crucial saves during the 120-minute period.

Regardless, he shone when it mattered most: During the penalty shootout that would determine who escapes the encounter victorious and who fuels the aeroplane home with tears and nightmares of what could have been. 

With the scores level in the penalty shootout, Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal stepped up for a penalty, but blasted his effort against the crossbar.

With an opportunity to win the game for his country and thus under considerable pressure with the eyes of the entire continent on him, Nzau stepped up and with a look of intense focus coolly slotted the ball in the top-right corner of the net to send his nation's supporters in raptures of joy as the team's progression to the quarter-finals was confirmed.

He broke the hearts of Egyptians, but ensured that his side keep their dream of lifting the AFCON title for the first time since 1974, when they did so as Zaire (the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 1997) alive. 

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So far in the tournament, Nzau has conceded just two goals in four games, and will be hoping to produce more heroics when he and his side take on Guinea in the quarter-finals. 

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