DR Congo sink Cameroon with late winner to seal play-off final clash with Nigeria
A stoppage-time header from captain Chancel Mbemba propelled the Democratic Republic of Congo into the final of the African World Cup play-offs on Thursday, sealing a 1–0 victory over Cameroon and setting up a decisive meeting with Nigeria.
The breakthrough came in the first minute of added time.
As the tense contest edged towards extra time, Mbemba drifted away from his marker and powered home a deep corner delivered by Brian Cipenga, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Leopards and stunning a shocked Cameroonian side.
For Cameroon, Africa’s most frequent World Cup participants, the defeat marked a bitter end to their attempt to reach a ninth tournament.
The Indomitable Lions, who had entered the match as slight favourites, will now miss out on the expanded 48-team edition of the 2026 World Cup.
The semi-final, played in heavy rain at a neutral venue in Morocco, saw both sides struggle at times with the slippery surface.
With only six places separating the teams in the FIFA rankings, the match unfolded as a tight, evenly matched encounter.
The first major opening of the second half fell to DR Congo’s Cédric Bakambu, whose low drive forced a sharp save from Cameroon goalkeeper André Onana shortly after the hour mark.
Cameroon responded quickly. Bryan Mbeumo tested Leopards’ defence with a curling effort, and later his teammate Karl Etta Eyong twice found himself in promising positions, only to fail to convert. His missed chances proved costly.
Just as the Lions looked to be gaining momentum, Mbemba struck at the opposite end, steering in Cipenga’s corner to hand DR Congo their first competitive victory over Cameroon in years.
The triumph puts DR Congo one win away from returning to the grand stage of world football.
The country has not appeared at a World Cup since 1974, when it competed under the name Zaire.
Their next challenge will be a high-stakes showdown with Nigeria, who earlier demolished Gabon 4–1 after extra time.
The winner of Sunday’s final in Rabat will progress to the six-nation intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March.
Only two of those teams will ultimately secure tickets to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, leaving DR Congo and Nigeria with everything to play for.
