NATIONAL TEAM - CONGO - COACH - Pierre Lechantre sacked

WORLD CUP 2018 QUALIFIERS GROUP E

Congo Brazzaville have sacked coach Pierre Lechantre with 17 months left on his contract with the Red Devils.

The Congo Football Federation (Fecofoot) confirmed his sacking on Tuesday, following the team's poor recent results, the latest being a 1:0 defeat by Uganda in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on 12 November.

The Frenchman, who replaced his compatriot Claude LeRoy in January, oversaw the Red Devils' shock failure to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

"After the meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 11:00 am, Fecofoot and Pierre Lechantre, coach of the national team, agreed an amicable breakup of the contract that binds both parties," Fecofoot said in a statement.

The 66-year-old has coached Cameroon and Mali in the past, helping the former to a third African Cup of Nations title in 2000.

Congo are bottom of group E after two consecutive defeats in the race for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

They lost 2:1 at home to leaders Egypt in October before Saturday's defeat to Uganda in Kampala.

He took charge when Congo were top of their group for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, ahead of Zambia on goal difference after two matches.

But under his watch the Red Devils slipped and failed to qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon after they finished behind Guinea-Bissau, from the tiny former Portuguese colony in West Africa.

Congo are now looking for a new manager before back-to-back World Cup fixtures against the Black Stars of Ghana in August and September 2017.