The Democratic Republic of Congo turned the tables on Uzbekistan, completing a thrilling comeback to win 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the third and final matchday of the FIFA World Cup group stage.
Uzbekistan took the lead through striker Eldor Shomurodov in the 10th minute, before the Leopards rallied. Yoan Wissa converted from the penalty spot in the 68th minute to level the score, then star man Feston Mayele added the second goal in the 79th minute, before the in-form Wissa returned to net the third in the final minute of normal time, dashing Uzbekistan's hopes of a surprise result.
With this vital victory, DR Congo secured their place in the round of 32, finishing on 4 points to join the best eight third-placed teams in the tournament, sparking jubilant celebrations among their supporters inside and outside the stadium. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, suffered their third consecutive defeat and exit the World Cup empty-handed, with only the honour of this historic participation to their name.
The two sides entered the match with contrasting motivations: DR Congo needed a win to reach 4 points and boost their chances of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams, while Uzbekistan — already officially eliminated — sought to produce an ideal performance and leave a positive mark in their final World Cup appearance.
From the opening whistle, Uzbekistan imposed their attacking style forcefully. Shomurodov shook the net in the 24th second, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside. Uzbekistan maintained their intense pressure, which eventually paid off when the impressive Shomurodov opened the scoring, using his technical skill to chip the ball delicately over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Stung by falling behind, the Leopards pushed forward in search of an equaliser, and Nathaniel Mbuku thought he had levelled, only for the referee to rule the goal out after a VAR review confirmed the player had committed a foul before scoring.
In the remaining minutes of the first half, DR Congo intensified their attacking efforts to shift the balance, but ran into a well-organised and resilient Uzbekistan defence that relied on quick transitions and counter-attacks to pose a genuine threat on more than one occasion. The first half ended with Uzbekistan leading by a single goal.
In the second half, DR Congo's players surged forward from the outset in search of an equaliser, squandering several chances in the opening five minutes. Uzbekistan, in turn, exploited a counter-attack and came close to doubling their lead, but Shokirov's shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
By the 66th minute, after sustained pressure, DR Congo were awarded a penalty, which Yoan Wissa stepped up to convert, making it 1-1. The goal galvanised the Leopards as they pressed hard and created numerous chances before Mayele struck for 2-1, and Wissa added the third, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Leopards.