52 years.
That's how long DR Congo waited for this moment.
The last time The Leopards roared at a World Cup, they were called Zaire. The year was 1974. West Germany hosted. A different football era.
Tonight in Atlanta… they didn't just show up.
They made history. 🐆
10th minute. Eldor Shomurodov strikes for Uzbekistan.
1-0. Silence.
A 52-year wait suddenly hanging by a thread.
Uzbekistan — World Cup debutants — smelled an upset.
The Brentford forward decided this wasn't going to be Congo's heartbreak story.
He scored.
Then he scored again.
A brace that flipped the entire mood of a nation.
Fiston Mayele added the third to seal it.
Final: 3-1.
Uzbekistan's first-ever World Cup ends here.
Three matches. Three losses. Outscored 11-2.
A brutal welcome to football's biggest stage.
But they got here. And that itself rewrote their footballing story.
DR Congo's reward for ending a half-century drought?
A Round of 32 clash with England. 🦁
The Leopards vs the Three Lions.
David vs Goliath energy — except this David just proved he doesn't fold when the first punch lands.
This isn't just a result.
It's a generation of Congolese kids finally watching their team in a World Cup knockout round.
It's African football claiming another headline at the expanded 48-team tournament.
It's proof that 52 years of waiting can flip in 90 minutes.
Wissa didn't just score two goals tonight.
He carried half a century of hope on his back — and he didn't drop it.
That's all for now!
