In a remarkable display, DR Congo triumphed over Uzbekistan with a 3-1 victory, marking their first-ever qualification for the last 32 of the World Cup. Yoane Wissa was instrumental in this success, netting twice to lead his team into a matchup against England.
The match began dramatically as Eldor Shomurodov lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, giving Uzbekistan an early advantage. However, Wissa quickly equalized from the penalty spot, and Fiston Mayele’s goal ignited jubilation among the mainly Congolese supporters.
Wissa capped off a memorable evening by scoring in stoppage time, solidifying his reputation with three goals in the tournament.
“We’ll start work immediately on preparing,” said DRC head coach, Sébastien Desabre. “We’ve got a few players in the squad who play at clubs in the English league, so they will help us, but we’ll prepare in the best way we can for what is going to be a very big match for us.”
Uzbekistan entered the match aware of their slim chances for advancement, needing a significant goal difference swing to progress. Despite this, coach Fabio Cannavaro emphasized the importance of achieving a win as a legacy for their inaugural World Cup experience, motivating his players to start strong.
Shomurodov nearly put his team ahead again, scoring just 30 seconds into the match, but the goal was ruled offside. Nevertheless, the captain and all-time leading scorer soon found success with a stunning lob over Mpasi from a tight angle, delighting the fans.
Nathanaël Mbuku thought he had leveled the score with a splendid shot that found the top corner, but a VAR review overturned the goal due to a soft foul committed on Sherzod Nasrullaev during the buildup.
As DR Congo struggled to regain their momentum, a reckless challenge from Abdukodir Khusanov on Wissa provided them with a lifeline. Wissa converted the penalty, igniting a wave of excitement among the nearly 70,000 spectators present.
Just two minutes later, the crowd witnessed a historic moment as Meschack Elia’s deflected shot allowed Mayele to dart in ahead of the goalkeeper and score.
Wissa concluded the comeback by curling the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box.
“The players gave everything. They are sad in the changing room. They suffer more than anyone in Uzbekistan.” Cannavaro remarked. “The players gave everything. They are sad in the changing room. They suffer more than anyone in Uzbekistan.”
DR Congo’s progression continues to highlight a remarkable tournament for African teams, with only Tunisia eliminated among the ten representatives. Algeria also has a chance to join the eight nations advancing to the knockout stage in the upcoming group matches later on Saturday.
- World Cup 2026
- Democratic Republic of the Congo football team
- Uzbekistan
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