By Wale Mustapha
Chancel Mbemba delivered a captain’s performance on Thursday, scoring a dramatic late winner to hand the Democratic Republic of Congo a shock 1–0 victory over Cameroon in their 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff semifinal.
Mbemba drifted into the box unmarked and converted a Brian Cipenga corner in stoppage time, sealing a crucial win that keeps DR Congo firmly in contention for a place at next year’s finals.
Both teams enjoyed spells of control in a cagey opening half, with the Congolese coming closest when Cipenga’s drive skimmed past the post. Cameroon nearly responded through Bryan Mbeumo, whose curling attempt narrowly missed the target.
The second half unfolded as a tense, end-to-end battle until Mbemba’s decisive touch settled the contest at the death.
DR Congo will now face Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Sunday’s playoff final in Rabat after the Nigerians defeated Gabon 4–1 after extra time earlier in the day. The Super Eagles advanced thanks to a late equaliser in regulation time and a dominant extra-time display led by Victor Osimhen’s brace.
The winner on Sunday will move on to the inter-confederation playoffs in March, where six teams will compete for two remaining spots at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
