FIFA World Cup: DR Congo reach knockouts with first-ever win
What's the story
In a stunning turn of events, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time. The African nation achieved this historic feat by defeating Uzbekistan 3-1 in Atlanta on Saturday. The win comes as a major milestone for DRC, who are featuring in only their second FIFA World Cup. This was also their maiden win in the tournament's history.
Match highlights
How the match panned out
Uzbekistan's Eldor Shomurodov scored an early goal in the 10th minute, putting DRC on the back foot. However, DRC showed resilience and equalized in the second half. Yoane Wissa was fouled by Abdukodir Khusanov inside the box and converted the resulting penalty to level the score in the 68th minute. DRC took the lead in the 78th minute when Fiston Mayele scored from close range. Wissa then sealed the victory with a stunning long-range shot in stoppage time.
Information
A look at key numbers
DRC had five shots on target from 19 attempts. Uzbekistan had just three attempts, with a solitary one on target. Notably, DRC completed 419 of their 495 passes throughout the match. They held 53% possession.
Performance overview
DRC to face England in Round of 32
This win not only secured DRC's place in the knockout stage but also made them one of the surprise qualifiers for the Round of 32, joining Cape Verde. This is a major achievement for DRC, considering their long absence from the World Cup. They drew against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in their opening game. DRC will take on England in the next round.