Congo Reached the World Cup Knockouts 52 Years After Zaire's 1974 Collapse - Soccer News

Congo reached the World Cup knockouts 52 years after Zaire’s 1974 collapse, completing a long and historically charged circle in the tournament. On Saturday in Atlanta, the Democratic Republic of the Congo—descendants of Zaire—beat Uzbekistan 3-1 to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. The comeback featured Yoane Wissa scoring twice and Fiston Mayele adding the third, setting up a matchup with England on 1 July. The victory echoes Zaire’s 1974 campaign, which began with African champions status after winning the Africa Cup of Nations earlier that March. After promised bonuses were withheld, Zaire lost 2-0 to Scotland, then suffered a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia, and later fell 3-0 to Brazil after a controversial moment involving defender Mwepu Ilunga. Mobutu’s regime cut funding afterward, ending the team’s World Cup return for decades.