DR Congo 1-0 Jamaica: Axel Tuanzebe the hero as Leopards qualify for 2026 World Cup
BBC • • sports
Key Points:
- The Democratic Republic of Congo qualified for their first World Cup in 52 years after Axel Tuanzebe scored the winning goal in extra time against Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off final in Mexico.
- Tuanzebe, a former England youth international born in Bunia, DR Congo, scored with his torso in the 100th minute, securing a 1-0 victory after VAR confirmed no handball was involved.
- DR Congo will compete in Group K of the expanded 48-team tournament, facing Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, marking their return since their 1974 appearance as Zaire.
- The Leopards' qualification follows a challenging campaign involving 13 qualifiers and victories over Cameroon and Nigeria in African play-offs, with the team benefiting from continuity under coach Sebastien Desabre and the integration of diaspora players.
- This qualification offers hope to a nation long affected by conflict and past World Cup struggles, with fans eager for a better showing than the 1974 tournament, where the team suffered heavy defeats and negative global perceptions.
