DR Congo wins 3:1 against Uzbekistan and advances to the Round of 16

A first statement of intent by the Congolese was nullified by video review: A goal by Nathanael Mbuku did not stand following a VAR decision due to a prior foul (17'). The match remained hard-fought thereafter, characterized by midfield battles and yellow cards on both sides – for Sadiki, Mbuku, and Moutoussamy for the DR Congo as well as for Uzbekistan players.

VAR and yellow cards: A hectic opening phase

After the break, the DR Congo intensified the pressure, and the coach's substitutions made a decisive impact. In the 68th minute, Uzbek center-back Abdukodir Khusanov, who according to the facts is listed as a Manchester City player, fouled Wissa in the penalty area. Wissa himself converted the resulting penalty to make it 1:1. Just ten minutes later, fellow substitute Fiston Mayele deflected a blocked shot by Meschack Elia into the net to make it 2:1.

In stoppage time, Wissa capped his strong performance with his second goal. With a disguised shot from the edge of the box into the far corner, he sealed the win in the 90'+1. "Sie sind gelaufen, sie haben gekämpft, sie haben alles versucht, um das Spiel zu gewinnen, und genau das ist das Wichtigste", Wissa summarized the team's performance, saying the squad should be proud of what they achieved according to his own statement: "Heute war es richtig hart. Wir alle dürfen stolz sein."

Wissa's double completes the comeback

On the other side, Fabio Cannavaro expressed disappointment at the elimination: "Es tut mir leid, denn drei Niederlagen in drei Spielen lassen sich natürlich immer schwer erklären." Uzbekistan thus ends the group stage with zero points and is eliminated. For the DR Congo, the tournament continues in the Round of 16, with the opponent not yet determined at the time of this fact collection.

Uzbekistan eliminated after three defeats

Parallel to this match, the standings situation in Group K had intensified further. Colombia had already secured first place in the group and will face Ghana in the Round of 16, while Ghana had suffered a 1:2 (0:1) defeat to Croatia on the final matchday. In that match, Petar Sucic (31') and Nikola Vlasic (83') scored for Croatia, with Derrick Luckassen (73') netting the equalizer for Ghana in between. Luka Modric provided the assist for Vlasic's goal. With the victory, Croatia qualified as group runners-up for the round of the last 16, where Portugal awaits.

Parallels from Group K and other matches

There was also news from the English and German national teams on matchday. England defeated Panama 2:0 (0:0) and secured first place in the group. The goals were scored by Jude Bellingham, who formerly played for Borussia Dortmund, in the 62nd minute, and Harry Kane in the 67th minute, making Kane England's sole record goalscorer at World Cups. Bellingham assisted Kane's goal. Panama had already been eliminated before the match. For England, Thomas Tuchel manages the team as head coach.

For Germany, matchday was less successful. The team lost 1:2 to Ecuador, with Nathaniel Brown missing due to muscular issues. The 23-year-old left-back from Eintracht Frankfurt, who is on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich, returned to squad training two days before the Round of 16 match against Paraguay in Foxborough. In Group C, Brazil and Morocco had meanwhile secured their places in the knockout round; Scotland finished third with three points. Steve Clarke, 62, resigned after the elimination. Portugal drew 0:0 with Colombia.

The DR Congo has reaped the rewards of a courageous tournament performance by advancing to the Round of 16. The team, which had to overcome the intercontinental play-offs on its way to North America, ultimately prevailed in a hard-fought group. The Round of 16 opponent draw will show whether the team, carried by this momentum, can continue to produce surprises.

The stadium in Atlanta thus experienced an emotional evening in which an African selection that started as an underdog held its ground among the world's best 16 teams. The goals, the substitutions, and the late decision by Wissa will be remembered, as will the images of a team that never gave up after going 0:1 down and ultimately rewarded itself.