June 28 (THEWILL) — DR Congo produced one of the greatest nights in their football history, overturning an early deficit to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 and qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
The Leopards suffered an early setback after Eldor Shomurodov finished brilliantly to hand Uzbekistan the lead following an earlier disallowed goal.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities, DR Congo entered halftime frustrated after Nathanael Mbuku’s equaliser was ruled out following a VAR intervention.
Everything changed after the interval.
Yoane Wissa calmly converted a penalty to restore parity before Fiston Mayele completed the turnaround with a close-range finish that ignited celebrations among Congolese supporters inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Wissa then crowned a memorable evening in stoppage time with a superb curling finish from outside the area to seal both the victory and his place in national football history, becoming the first player ever to score DR Congo’s opening two World Cup goals.
The remarkable comeback sends DR Congo into a Round of 32 meeting with England, while Uzbekistan depart the tournament with pride after an impressive World Cup debut that hinted at a bright future.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
