Guadalajara (Mexico) (AFP) – The Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in an intercontinental playoff on Tuesday to seal their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe scored the game’s only goal at the Akron Stadium near Guadalajara to send the African side to this summer’s finals, where they will face Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan in Group K.
Tuanzebe bundled in a close-range finish from an in-swinging corner in the 100th minute to settle a lackluster game played in hot and humid conditions. The goal completes a dramatic qualification campaign for the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday’s playoff in Mexico. It means the central African nation will be playing at the World Cup for the first time since the 1974 finals in West Germany, when the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia, and Brazil.
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Tuesday’s game went to extra time after the two sides finished 90 minutes deadlocked at 0-0, with DR Congo dominating possession but failing to find the breakthrough against a dogged Jamaican defense. The Congolese looked the more threatening side from the kick-off and had the ball in the net after just five minutes when Real Betis striker Cedric Bakambu tucked away a low finish from Meschack Elia’s cross only for it to be ruled offside. Bakambu threatened again soon afterwards, but his looping header was comfortably gathered by Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake.
With Jamaica sitting deep, Congo had ample possession but struggled to create many meaningful chances. Elia shot into the side netting after collecting a clever chested layoff from Bakambu in the 23rd minute and threatened again 10 minutes later when he burst down the right flank and forced a near-post save from Blake. The only Jamaican chance of note came midway through the half, but Kasey Palmer’s deflected shot drifted wide.
The pattern continued after half-time, and Bakambu again nearly opened the scoring on 47 minutes when his curling shot from outside the area was parried away at full stretch by Blake. That was as good as it got for Congo until a flurry of chances in the final minutes of regulation time. Bakambu saw a second goal ruled out after Theo Bongonda was offside in the build-up in the 85th minute, and two minutes later, substitute Edo Kayembe saw a long-range effort whizz past the post.
The breakthrough finally came in extra time when Tuanzebe met a corner in the six-yard box to put Congo ahead and seal their World Cup return.
© 2024 AFP
