Cedrick Mabwati represented DR Congo in its international friendly with Romania on Wednesday. The Crew SC midfielder played 74 minutes in the 1-1 draw in Como, Italy.
Jeremy Bokila struck late to secure a 1-1 draw for DR Congo after Nicolae Stanciu's 27th-minute goaol gave Romania the lead in a match that saw goalkeepers on both sides tested repeatedly.
Mabwati’s start against Romania marked his 17th cap for DR Congo and his fourth since joining Columbus last season. He earned his first international cap as a Crew SC player, his 14th all-time, back on August 28, 2015 ahead of a 2017 AFCON qualification match against the Central African Republic.
His 15th cap came in October of 2015 when Mabwati helped his team defeat Nigeria 2-0. The midfielder earned his 16th call-up on November 12, 2015 when the Leopards faced Burundi in the first leg of the home-and-home two-legged series, with the DR Congo advancing following a 2-2 draw in the second leg.
DR Congo’s match against Romania marked the first of two matches in 10 days. Next up, the Leopards will face Madagascar on June 5 in the AFCON qualification in Antananarivo.
Of the 25 players currently on the Black & Gold’s active roster, 14 have received a senior National Team call-up throughout their careers (Harrison Afful, Corey Ashe, Conor Casey, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Ola Kamara, Emil Larsen, Mabwati, Cristian Martinez, Justin Meram, Michael Parkhurst, Rodrigo Saravia, Tony Tchani, Wil Trapp).
