Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo rallied from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1, securing their first-ever World Cup victory and a place in the Round of 32
DR Congo secured their first-ever World Cup victory on Saturday, coming from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 at Atlanta Stadium and book a historic place in the Round of 32.
Uzbekistan got off to a flying start when captain Eldor Shomurodov capitalised on a defensive blunder to lob the ball over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi in the 10th minute. DR Congo thought they equalised via Nathanaël Mbuku, but a VAR review overturned the goal for a foul in the buildup.
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The second-half onslaught belonged completely to the Leopards. In the 68th minute, Yoane Wissa rolled a penalty into the bottom corner after being brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov. Ten minutes later, substitute Fiston Mayele poked home a deflected effort from Meschack Elia to complete the comeback. In the 91st minute, Wissa sealed the triumph with a brilliant curling strike from distance.
DR Congo dominated possession with 58 percent and registered 19 shots, four on target, while Uzbekistan managed just three shots, one on target. Congolese passing accuracy stood at 86 percent compared to Uzbekistan’s 76 percent. Uzbekistan was limited to just three total shots across 90 minutes—the lowest attacking output of their group stage campaign.
The 3-1 outcome marked DR Congo’s first-ever victory in a World Cup final tournament and their first-ever advancement past the group stage. Uzbekistan bowed out of their maiden World Cup without a single point.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, DR Congo will face England in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, back at Atlanta Stadium.
Before Kickoff
Venue and Kickoff Time
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- Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Atlanta Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Kickoff: 23:30 GMT
⚽ Pre-Match Analysis
📋 Predicted Lineups
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- DR Congo Starting XI: Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Bushiri, Masuaku; Pickel, Moutoussamy; Elia, Bakambu, Yoane Wissa.
- Uzbekistan Starting XI: Nematov; Khusanov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov; Sayfiev, Hamrobekov, Shukurov, Nasrullaev; Urunov, Shomurodov, Fayzullaev.
📊 Match Facts and Head-to-Head (H2H)
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- H2H Record: No competitive senior tournament record exists between these two football federations.
- Key Fact: DR Congo keeper Lionel Mpasi recorded 8 saves during his last appearance against Colombia.
Last Updated on July 2, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
