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World Cup: DR Congo stars and coach revel in historic feat after reaching Round of 32
28th June, 2026 05:11 PM
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured a historic first-ever spot in the World Cup knockout stages on Sunday, June 28, 2026, defeating Uzbekistan 3-1 at the Atlanta Stadium.
The victory ensures the Leopards’ fairy-tale run in the 2026 tournament continues into the round of 32 after wrapping up their Group K campaign in style.
The Leopards will now battle it out against England for a place in the competition’s last 16.
Speaking on the achievement, coach Sebastien Desabre hailed the fruits of the labour and hard work of the past four years when he took over the Leopards’ reins.
“It is amazing because the way the match played out was true to our style. In other words, it was all about sacrifice. We continue to believe in our ability. We carried real attacking momentum. And, to tell you the truth, I’m delighted for the lads. They have been working on this project for the past four years. I’m incredibly proud of them,” the Frenchman told FIFA.
A delighted Desabre asserted that his team has since arrived at the tournament and is keen on stamping its mark.
“We are really proud,” the coach added. “We scored four goals in those three games, and that shows we have got what it takes to score on the biggest stage,”
Heading to the final group clash, both Congo and Uzbekistan entered the decisive fixture in search of their first victory of the tournament.
Memorable win
DR Congo had earned a draw against Portugal before narrowly losing to Colombia, while tournament debutants Uzbekistan had suffered defeats in both of their previous matches.
The African nation was, however, made to wait in a nervy encounter until the 78th minute, when Fiston Mayele pounced on a loose ball.
Enchanted Mayele
The former Yanga Sc striker had just entered the fray in the 51st minute, and 27 minutes later, he was celebrating having put his side 2-1 up.
“I am having a whale of a time because it is my first experience at a World Cup. I have had the opportunity to get some minutes under my belt. I have always been ready. I kept telling myself that when the moment came, I had to make a difference,” Mayele said.
Leopards skipper and former Newcastle United player Chancel Mbemba was also elated with the performance after their preparation for the match finally clicked.
“It was really tough for us, and we know we were not good enough in the first half. The whole team stayed calm because we knew we’d show our full potential in the second half,” he said.
Similar sentiments of ecstasy were conveyed by Yoanne Wissa, the man to go to for goals, after notching a brace to lift his haul in the championship to three in total.
“The most important thing for us is this historic place in the round of 32. We are going to savour this moment because it has been really tough,” the English Premier League ace stated.
