DR Congo Beats Uzbekistan to Clinch Historic World Cup Spot
The Democratic Republic of Congo staged a dramatic second-half comeback in Atlanta on Saturday to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1, securing a historic place in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The victory marks the first World Cup win for the Leopards in 52 years, dating back to their tournament debut as Zaire in 1974.
The win allowed DR Congo to claim one of the final spots in the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. Finishing Group K with four points, they follow group winners Colombia and second-placed Portugal into the next round.
Early Shock for the Leopards
Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut as an independent nation, started with intent at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Captain Eldor Shomurodov saw a goal disallowed for offside within the first 20 seconds, but he wouldn’t be denied for long. In the 10th minute, Shomurodov latched onto a pass from Akmal Mozgovoy and delicately lobbed DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi to give the Asians a 1-0 lead.
Facing elimination, the Congolese struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. While Nathanael Mbuku briefly thought he had equalized in the 17th minute, his effort was ruled out for a foul earlier in the play. Despite late first-half pressure from Yoane Wissa and captain Chancel Mbemba, Uzbekistan held firm at the break.
Wissa Inspires Second-Half Turnaround
DR Congo emerged from the tunnel with renewed urgency. The pressure finally told in the 68th minute when Yoane Wissa was fouled inside the area by Abdukodir Khusanov. Wissa stepped up to hammer home the penalty—marking the 600th successful spot-kick in World Cup history—and breathed new life into the Congolese campaign.
The momentum shifted entirely toward the Africans. In the 78th minute, substitute Fiston Mayele reacted fastest to a deflected shot from Meschack Elia, beating Uzbek keeper Abduvohid Nematov to the ball to make it 2-1. With Uzbekistan pushed high in desperation, Wissa struck again in the 91st minute, curling a clinical finish from the edge of the box to seal the 3-1 victory.
A Historic Achievement
For Uzbekistan, the defeat ends a difficult debut tournament where they failed to register a point. They become the first debutant since 1982 to concede at least three goals in every group stage match. They join fellow newcomers Haiti and Curaçao on the sidelines, leaving Cape Verde as the only tournament debutant to advance this year.
The Democratic Republic of Congo now shifts its focus to a formidable knockout challenge. They are scheduled to return to Atlanta on Wednesday to face 1966 champions England, who qualified as winners of Group L.
Match Summary
Result: DR Congo 3-1 Uzbekistan
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Attendance: 68,239
Scorers:
Uzbekistan: Eldor Shomurodov (10’)
DR Congo: Yoane Wissa (68’ pen, 90+1’), Fiston Mayele (78’)
Image: Pexels – César O’neill
