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DR Congo Beats Uzbekistan 3-1, Earns England Clash

6/28/2026

49 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

DR Congo Victory

DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3–1 on June 27, 2026, finished third and will face England in the round of 32.
Yoane Wissa scored a 68th-minute penalty to equalize after Eldor Shomurodov gave Uzbekistan the lead.
Substitute Fiston Mayele scored the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute following a deflected shot by Meschack Elia.
Coach Sébastien Desabre’s tactical change after the loss to Colombia sparked the second-half surge that secured the win.

Summary

DR Congo Advances

DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1 on 27 June 2026 at Atlanta Stadium, earning its first World Cup win and first knockout-stage berth.
The victory gave DR Congo four points in Group K, placing it third behind Colombia (seven points) and Portugal (five).
Uzbekistan finished the tournament with zero points, remaining winless in its sole World Cup appearance.
South Korea’s hopes ended after the match, eliminating the Asian side from contention.

History

Historical Context

In 1974 Zaire became the first Sub-Saharan African side to reach a World Cup, but lost all three games by a 0-14 goal difference. Decades of continental success, including African Cup titles in 1968 and 1974, set the stage for DR Congo’s 2026 resurgence, when Yoane Wissa scored its first World Cup goal and a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan on 27 June secured the nation’s first knockout-stage appearance.

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DR Congo Victory

DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3–1 on June 27, 2026, finished third and will face England in the round of 32.
Yoane Wissa scored a 68th-minute penalty to equalize after Eldor Shomurodov gave Uzbekistan the lead.
Substitute Fiston Mayele scored the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute following a deflected shot by Meschack Elia.
Coach Sébastien Desabre’s tactical change after the loss to Colombia sparked the second-half surge that secured the win.

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