By Dwayne Ferreira.
Yoane Wissa scores twice as DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1, claim their first World Cup win and set up a round-of-32 match with England.
Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1, securing their first World Cup victory and a historic place in the round of 32.
Uzbekistan, appearing at their first World Cup, started with the urgency of a side desperate to avoid a third defeat. They thought they had scored inside 30 seconds, but Eldor Shomurodov’s rebound was ruled out for offside.
Shomurodov did not have to wait long. In the 10th minute, Abbosbek Fayzullaev flicked on a long pass and the Uzbekistan captain accelerated beyond Aaron Wan-Bissaka before lifting the ball over Lionel Mpasi from a tight angle. For nearly an hour, that goal threatened to end DR Congo’s dream.
The Congolese had a potential equaliser ruled out when Nathanael Mbuku’s shot was disallowed after VAR spotted a hand to the face of Sherzod Nasrullaev in the build-up. That decision deepened the frustration of a team that controlled possession but lacked precision.
The second half changed when Wissa won and converted a penalty after Abdukodir Khusanov brought him down. The Newcastle United forward sent Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way, and the equaliser transformed both his confidence and DR Congo’s belief.
Ten minutes later, substitute Fiston Mayele completed the turnaround with an opportunist finish. Uzbekistan, who had sat deep after taking the lead, suddenly had to chase the game and could not recover their earlier structure.
Wissa sealed the win in stoppage time with his second goal, completing a personal and national breakthrough. Coach Sébastien Desabre praised the striker’s resilience after a difficult club season disrupted by injury.
For DR Congo, the victory was deeply significant. Their previous World Cup appearance came in 1974 as Zaire, when they lost all three matches heavily. This win, 52 years later, marked a new chapter and sent them into the knockouts for the first time.
Uzbekistan exit after three defeats, a painful end to a debut campaign that still contained moments of promise. DR Congo finished third behind Colombia and Portugal and will remain in Atlanta to face England in the round of 32.
MATCH SUMMARY
DR Congo – 3
Yoane Wissa penalty
Fiston Mayele
Yoane Wissa 90+1’
Uzbekistan – 1
Eldor Shomurodov 10’
Result: DR Congo won 3-1
Player of the Match: Yoane Wissa
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026, Group K
Venue: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
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