The Democratic Republic of Congo secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Jamaica in a dramatic intercontinental playoff final at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico, on Tuesday, March 31.

The decisive moment came in extra time, when Axel Tuanzebe rose to the occasion in the 100th minute, converting from a corner kick to break the deadlock. After a brief VAR review, the goal was confirmed, sending the Congolese side into celebration.

This historic win means DR Congo will return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire — marking the end of a long wait and a proud moment in their football history.

The match itself was tightly contested. Despite Congo’s growing dominance in the second half, Jamaica held firm, largely thanks to the brilliance of goalkeeper Andre Blake, who made crucial saves to keep the score level through regular time.

Drama unfolded late in the game when the referee, Facundo Tello, was forced off due to injury in the 112th minute, briefly halting play before a replacement stepped in to continue officiating.

Congo had earlier thought they had taken the lead in the 86th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. However, their persistence paid off in extra time, as they capitalized on a tiring Jamaican defense.

To reach this stage, DR Congo had already shown resilience, overcoming Nigeria on penalties in the CAF playoff final.

For Jamaica, the defeat marks a missed opportunity, as both Concacaf representatives in the intercontinental playoffs failed to qualify — with Suriname also falling short in their semifinal clash against Bolivia.

In the end, it was a night of determination, patience, and reward for DR Congo — a team that refused to give up until their World Cup dream became reality.