By Kunle Solaja
Africa’s presence at this summer’s FIFA World Cup will increase to 10 teams after the Democratic Republic of Congo edged Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in a tense Intercontinental Playoff clash in Guadalajara, Mexico, early Wednesday morning.
The decisive Path 1 encounter, which kicked off at 10 pm GMT on Tuesday, was settled deep into extra time, with Axel Tuanzebe emerging as the unlikely hero to send the Leopards back to the global stage for the first time in 52 years.
DR Congo, competing at the World Cup for the first time since their 1974 appearance as Zaire, became the 47th nation to book a place at the tournament. They will now feature in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.
In a match largely devoid of clear-cut chances, both sides adopted a cautious approach in regulation time. DR Congo started the brighter, with captain Cedric Bakambu seeing an early goal ruled out for offside, but they failed to capitalise on their early dominance.
Jamaica gradually grew into the contest, with Kasey Palmer and Leon Bailey providing flashes of attacking threat, particularly in the second half. However, despite their improved showing, the Reggae Boyz struggled to create meaningful scoring opportunities.
Bakambu thought he had finally broken the deadlock late in normal time, only for his effort to be ruled out again for offside, compounding DR Congo’s frustration and sending the match into extra time.
With fatigue setting in for both teams, it was ultimately a set piece that proved decisive. In the 100th minute, substitute Brian Cipenga delivered a corner from the left that evaded everyone in the box before bouncing in off Tuanzebe, who had surged forward from defence.
There was a brief VAR review for a possible handball, but the goal stood, sparking jubilant celebrations among DR Congo players and fans.
It may not have been a goal of great quality, but its significance was immense — sealing a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage and ending decades of disappointment for the Central African nation.
For Jamaica, however, the result extends their wait for a second World Cup appearance, with their only previous outing remaining France 1998.
The victory marks a remarkable resurgence for DR Congo, whose footballing history has been marked by long periods of decline since their pioneering World Cup appearance in 1974. On a sunlit afternoon in Guadalajara, they finally rewrote that narrative, turning past pain into present triumph.
Now, with their place secured, the Leopards can look forward to a new chapter and a long-awaited summer adventure on the world stage.
