DR Congo come from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 with a Wissa brace and reach the last 32
Shomurodov put Uzbekistan ahead, but a Yoane Wissa brace and a Mayele goal turned it around to send DR Congo through at the 2026 World Cup.
DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, one of the major venues for the 2026 World Cup holding 68,239 spectators and known for its spectacular petal-shaped retractable roof, to close the third round of Group K. The win came at this 48-team World Cup staged by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Uzbekistan struck first. In the 10th minute, Eldor Shomurodov put the Asian side ahead from an Abdukodir Mozgovoy assist, an early blow for the Africans, who needed a win to dream of qualification.
The Congolese response came in the second half. In the 68th minute, Yoane Wissa levelled from the penalty spot, and ten minutes later, in the 78th, Fiston Mayele completed the turnaround to put Sébastien Desabre's side ahead. In stoppage time, in the 90+1, Wissa sealed his brace from a Meschack Elia pass.
Desabre set DR Congo up in a 4-4-2 with Lionel Mpasi in goal, while Fabio Cannavaro went with an Uzbek 3-4-2-1 and Abduvokhid Nematov between the posts. The intense game produced numerous bookings: for DR Congo, Ngal'ayel Sadiki (21'), Noah Mbuku (45+5') and Samuel Moutoussamy (62'); for Uzbekistan, Abdukodir Khusanov (43') and Sardor Nasrullaev (48').
With this comeback, DR Congo finish third in Group K on four points and qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams at the 2026 World Cup, behind Colombia and Portugal. Uzbekistan, by contrast, bow out of the tournament bottom and without a point on their World Cup debut.