In a win-or-go-home match, it was Congo that is heading to the ultimate event in soccer.
Congo scored in extra time to edge Jamaica 1-0 on Tuesday and become the 47th of 48 teams that will play at the World Cup.
Axel Tuanzebe scored following a corner kick in the 100th minute of the intercontinental playoff. The Jamaican defenders failed to clear the ball and Tuanzebe, who plays for Burnley in the English Premier League tapped it into the net.
Congo has never played in a World Cup under that name, although it participated in the 1974 edition in Germany as Zaire.
With its victory in the intercontinental playoff at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Congolese team completes Group K at the World Cup, where it will face Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.
“We’re going to enjoy the qualification, but we’ll keep working. We know we’ll be facing top nations who play in the World Cup every four years,” Congo captain Chancel Mbemba said. “We’ll stay humble, keep our feet on the ground, and continue to work. We’ll give everything to make our supporters and our people proud.”
The Jamaica team, known as the Reggae Boyz, missed out on what would have been a second World Cup appearance. They have only taken part once in the world’s biggest football tournament, in 1998.
As for Congo, while it is viewed as an underdog for this event, it had been gaining momentum recently before this all-important match. For example, Congo made it to the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations last winter.
Congo will compete in its World Cup group with Portugal, Columbia and Uzbekistan.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this article.
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