Chancel Mbemba has expressed delight after the Democratic Republic of Congo secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Jamaica 1-0 after extra-time on Tuesday night.
The Leopards qualified for the playoffs final after defeating Nigeria on penalties last November in the CAF playoff finals and booked a date with Jamaica, who had edged New Caledonia 1-0.
After a tense 90 minutes of action, Axel Tuanzebe scored in extra-time to lift them to victory and seal a first appearance at the biggest football event in the world in 52 years.
It also marks the country’s first World Cup appearance since 1974 when they called Zaire, with captain Mbemba applauding the entire team’s efforts in the clash.
“We’re going to enjoy the qualification, but we’ll keep working. We know we’ll be facing top nations who play in the World Cup every four years”, Mbemba stated.
Cedric Bakambu scored twice during normal time, but was denied on both occasions by the offside flag as DR Congo dominated the clash, but were unable to find the breakthrough.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 100th minute as Tuanzebe, who played for England at youth level and only pledged allegiance to the Leopards last year, scored to put them ahead.
The goal was checked by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for a potential handball, but survived the check and the goal was given.
Jamaica offered very little in search of an equalizer, with DR Congo edging the clash and moving on to the World Cup tournament.
Iran also edged Bolivia 2-1 in the other intercontinental playoff to become the 48th country at the biggest edition of the tournament so far.
“We’ll stay humble, keep our feet on the ground, and continue to work”, Mbemba added.
“We’ll give everything to make our supporters and our people proud.”
DR Congo will now compete in group K against Uzbekistan, Colombia and Portugal, opening their campaign against the latter on June 17.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
