Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 to qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history on Sunday morning in Atlanta.
The victory also marked DR Congo’s first-ever win at a FIFA World Cup. They had already made history in their previous outing by holding Portugal to a draw in their first World Cup match in 52 years.
Now, the Leopards are set to face tournament favourites England in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, from 7pm EAT.
DR Congo vs Uzbekistan match report
Eldor Shomurodov’s delightful lob over Lionel Mpasi gave Uzbekistan the perfect start in Atlanta.
However, Newcastle striker Wissa restored parity from the penalty spot before Fiston Mayele’s strike sent the largely Congolese crowd into a frenzy. Wissa sealed a memorable night for the Africans with a composed finish in stoppage time, taking his tournament tally to three goals.
Shomurodov found the net after just 30 seconds but was correctly flagged offside.
The Uzbekistan captain and all-time leading scorer had to wait only another 10 minutes for his deserved moment, producing a sublime lob over Mpasi from a tight angle.
Nathanael Mbuku thought he had drawn DR Congo level with a brilliant effort that rocketed into the top corner. However, after a VAR review, Mbuku was penalised for a soft foul on Sherzod Nasrullaev in the build-up after his hand brushed the defender’s face.
Wissa, who had scored Congo’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Portugal, squandered a golden opportunity early in the second half by firing wide.
DR Congo were beginning to run out of ideas until a rash challenge from Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov on Wissa handed them a lifeline and a route back into the contest.
Wissa dusted himself off before calmly sending Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way from the spot, sparking wild celebrations among the nearly 70,000 fans in attendance.
Just two minutes later, the majority of the crowd witnessed another historic moment. Meschack Elia’s deflected effort held up just long enough for Mayele to nip in ahead of Nematov and flick the ball into the net.
Wissa completed the comeback with a curling finish into the far corner from the edge of the area. DR Congo’s progress continued what has been an outstanding World Cup for African nations.
Only Tunisia, among the 10 African teams at the tournament, have been eliminated, while Algeria can join the eight African nations to reach the Round of 32 when they play their final group match later on Sunday.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026