DR Congo rallies past Uzbekistan 3-1 to reach World Cup knockout stage

Uzbekistan, making its World Cup debut, made a dream start. Captain Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a composed finish after the team capitalized on a swift attacking move, giving Uzbekistan hope of ending its historic campaign on a high.

DR Congo thought they had equalized before halftime through Nathanaël Mbuku, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review for a foul in the build-up, a decision that sparked strong protests from players, fans and television pundits.

The African side dominated after the break and finally found the breakthrough in the 68th minute. Yoane Wissa converted a penalty after a defensive error by Abdukodir Khusanov led to a foul inside the area, bringing DR Congo level at 1-1.

The momentum had completely shifted, and Fiston Mayele completed the comeback in the 78th minute by pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty area to fire DR Congo into the lead.

With Uzbekistan pushing forward in search of an equalizer, Wissa sealed the victory deep into stoppage time, curling a superb finish into the net for his second goal of the night and a 3-1 final score.

The victory completed a remarkable turnaround for DR Congo, who had drawn with Portugal and narrowly lost to Colombia earlier in Group K. Their four-point tally proved enough to secure one of the best third-place berths, sending the Leopards into the Round of 32, where they will meet England.

For Uzbekistan, the defeat ended a memorable first appearance at the World Cup. Despite an encouraging opening spell and Shomurodov's early goal, the White Wolves finished bottom of Group K after losses to Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo.