By Ayomide Otitoju
Jubilant football fans flooded the rain-soaked streets of Kinshasa late Tuesday, celebrating into the night after the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured its first World Cup qualification in 52 years.
Defender Axel Tuanzebe emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 extra-time victory over Jamaica in an intercontinental playoff held in Mexico.
The Leopards will now compete in Group K at the tournament in North America this summer, alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. Their qualification marks a historic return to the global stage, having last appeared at the 1974 finals in West Germany as Zaire.
Scenes of celebration erupted across Kinshasa, a city of over 17 million people, as the final whistle sparked widespread jubilation, with residents dancing in the rain, sounding car horns, and waving national flags.
“We’ve been waiting 50 years for this,” said one fan, as crowds vowed to celebrate through the night.
The qualification caps a remarkable campaign for the Congolese side, which eliminated African heavyweights Nigeria and Cameroon en route to the playoff victory.
Beyond the sporting achievement, the moment has been widely seen as a source of national unity in a country grappling with decades of conflict and ongoing security challenges. Supporters described the victory as a rare opportunity for collective joy and solidarity across the nation.
