DR Congo beat Jamaica in extra time, reach the World Cup | OneFootball

With a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff, the Democratic Republic of the Congo became, this Tuesday, the second-to-last team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, where it now joins Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.

Defender Axel Tuanzebe’s goal in extra time secured the Congolese team’s second World Cup appearance, 52 years after the 1974 World Cup in Germany, when it competed under the name Zaire.

DR Congo will make its debut on June 17 against Portugal at NRG Stadium in Houston, United States.

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Led by standout names in European soccer — such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Cédric Bakambu (Betis) and Yoane Wissa (Newcastle) —, the African side overcame the physical toll of extra time (after a scoreless draw in the 90 minutes of regulation) and looked fresher, making the difference in the closing stages of the match.

Thousands of fans at Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Jalisco, witnessed a lifeless first half marked by excessive caution and a lack of cohesion in both teams’ play.

It was only shortly after the hour mark that the Jamaicans and Congolese finally came to life and the match opened up.

DR Congo were the first to apply pressure, with efforts from Bakambu and Meschack Elia forcing the Jamaican goalkeeper into action.

Then — driven by Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) and Kasey Palmer (Luton) — the Caribbean side pushed forward, enjoying more than 65% possession and making dangerous runs down the wings, but without precision.

Referee gets injured

As regulation time neared its end, DR Congo took advantage of the brief respite both teams had long hoped for. Gathering their last reserves of energy, the Africans threw everything into attack against the Jamaican side, which had gone into pure survival mode and looked exhausted.

The physical toll on the field was so intense that, with only five minutes left in extra time, the main referee — Argentine Facundo Tello — had to be replaced due to an apparent muscle injury.

A flurry of shots by Theo Bongonda, Mbemba and Edo Kayembe was a prelude to DR Congo’s historic goal. It came from a corner that caught the Jamaican defense off guard, when defender Tuanzebe burst into the box and scored with a subtle touch of his body, sealing the Congolese victory.

The goal, DR Congo’s most important in more than half a century, brought the crowd at Chivas de Guadalajara’s stadium to its feet, with most of them cheering for the Congolese.

DR Congo is the 10th African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, expanded to 48 teams.

With content from AFP*

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.