Axel Tuanzebe emerged the hero as his dramatic extra time goal secured a 1-0 victory for DR Congo over Jamaica, sealing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and ending a 52 year wait for a return to the global stage.
The decisive moment came in the 100th minute of a tense FIFA Inter Confederation Playoff final, with Tuanzebe reacting quickest to a corner to tap home and finally break the deadlock after a fiercely contested encounter.
DR Congo had endured a difficult road to this point, having missed out on automatic qualification and needing a playoff route to stay in contention. They kept their hopes alive with a penalty shootout win over Nigeria in November, setting up this winner takes all clash. Jamaica, on the other hand, arrived in strong form under new coach Rudolph Speid after a turbulent period that included the departure of Steve McClaren.
The Congolese side started brightly and thought they had taken the lead early on when Cedric Bakambu turned home a low cross, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. Bakambu remained a constant threat, testing Andre Blake multiple times, but the Jamaican goalkeeper produced a string of outstanding saves to keep his side in the contest.
Theo Bongonda and Yoane Wissa also came close as DR Congo dominated large spells of the first half, but Jamaica managed to hold firm. Their best chance came through Bobby Decordova-Reid, who set up a shooting opportunity that was well blocked by Chancel Mbemba.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Bakambu again denied by Blake, who pulled off a stunning full stretch save to keep out a curling effort. Jamaica gradually grew into the game, with Leon Bailey and Shamar Nicholson pushing forward, but they were unable to find a breakthrough.
Bakambu had the ball in the net again late in normal time, only for the offside flag to cut short celebrations once more, as the match headed into extra time after a goalless 90 minutes.
The breakthrough finally arrived in 100th minute of extra time when Tuanzebe pounced from close range following a corner, sparking wild celebrations among the Congolese players and fans.
Jamaica pushed desperately for an equaliser, with Bailey attempting an ambitious long range effort and late pressure forcing DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi into action. The closing stages were chaotic, including a referee injury that briefly halted play, while Blake continued to produce heroics at the other end with a remarkable double save deep into stoppage time.
Despite the late drama, DR Congo held firm to secure a historic win and book their place at the World Cup for the first time since 1974. They will now compete in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.
For Jamaica, it was heartbreak once again, as their wait for a return to the World Cup, last achieved in 1998, goes on.
