DR Congo end 52-year wait as World Cup knockout dream becomes reality
History, rather than the scoreline alone, defined the final night of Group K. DR Congo completed a remarkable comeback against Uzbekistan to reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time, erasing memories of their painful 1974 campaign and earning a place in the Round of 32.
The Congolese side recovered from an early setback to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 in Atlanta, finishing on four points and progressing as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams. The victory also completed the Round of 32 line-up, with England confirmed as their next opponents after topping Group L.
Wissa sparks a second-half turnaround
Uzbekistan made the brighter start and took the lead after 10 minutes when captain Eldor Shomurodov lifted the ball over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. The goal briefly threatened to end DR Congo's hopes, although the African side gradually gained control of possession and territory.
Their reward arrived midway through the second half when Yoane Wissa converted a penalty to level the contest. Momentum shifted decisively from that moment. Substitute Fiston Mayele put DR Congo ahead with a composed finish before Wissa struck again in stoppage time to seal both the victory and a landmark qualification. The Newcastle United forward ended the evening with two goals and three for the tournament.
“Their first World Cup was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons, but 52 years later Congo have made their mark on the tournament in the best way possible.”
From Zaire's disappointment to a new chapter
The result carried significance well beyond a single group-stage fixture. DR Congo, competing at the World Cup for only the second time and their first since appearing as Zaire in 1974, had never previously won a match at the tournament. Their earlier campaign ended with three defeats, no goals scored and 14 conceded, including the infamous 9-0 loss to Yugoslavia.
This squad has steadily rewritten that history. They opened their campaign by drawing 1-1 with Portugal to secure their first World Cup point and first goal, before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against Colombia. Knowing victory over Uzbekistan would almost certainly be enough to progress, they delivered under pressure after trailing at half-time.
Wissa's contribution proved decisive once again. His movement unsettled the Uzbek defence throughout the second half, while Mayele's introduction provided the attacking spark that changed the game. Rather than panicking after conceding early, DR Congo maintained their structure and eventually overwhelmed opponents whose own qualification hopes were already fading.
Round of 32 picture now complete
DR Congo's success also reflected the growing influence of African football at the expanded 48-team World Cup. With the continent allocated additional qualification places, eight African nations reached the knockout phase, while Algeria still retained qualification hopes before the final conclusion of the group stage. Reuters noted that only Tunisia had already been eliminated among Africa's representatives at that stage.
The victory sets up an intriguing Round of 32 meeting with England, who secured first place in Group L after defeating Panama 2-0. Elsewhere, the completion of the group phase confirmed the entire knockout bracket as the tournament moves into its elimination rounds across the United States, Canada and Mexico.