DR Congo Qualify for First World Cup in 52 Years

Democratic Republic of the Congo have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years after a 1-0 win over Jamaica in an intercontinental play-off final in Mexico.

The match was decided in extra time, with Axel Tuanzebe scoring the winning goal in the 100th minute.

Before the match, Tuanzebe described the game as the biggest of his career. The defender, who was born in Bunia, has now made history for his country.

The game was tight and tense, with both teams struggling to score during normal time. Cédric Bakambu had two goals ruled out for offside.

Tuanzebe’s goal came from a corner taken by Brian Cipenga. The ball touched a Jamaican defender before hitting Tuanzebe and going into the net. There was a short delay as officials checked for handball, but the goal was allowed after a VAR review.

Jamaica, who were hoping to reach the World Cup for the second time after their 1998 appearance, could not find an equaliser.

DR Congo will now play in Group K at the expanded tournament. They will face Portugal in their first match, before games against Colombia and Uzbekistan.

The Congolese team had a long journey to qualification, playing 13 matches since November 2023. They finished second in their group behind Senegal and went on to beat Cameroon and Nigeria in the African play-offs.

This historic victory marks a major moment for DR Congo football and ends a long wait to return to the world stage.