⌂ Home News DR Congo Ends 52-Year World Cup Drought Against Portugal

DR Congo Ends 52-Year World Cup Drought Against Portugal

DR Congo Ends 52-Year World Cup Drought Against Portugal
Portugal national football team players on field
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We want to play our game tomorrow and see where the results lead us," he said.

Tuanzebe recalled that DR Congo proved its resilience during the qualification playoffs against Jamaica, where his extra-time goal secured their World Cup berth.

"We want to have a good World Cup, for sure," he said.

The centerback pointed out that the squad analyzed Portugal's previous qualifying slips against Ireland and Hungary to find tactical vulnerabilities.

"We're not going to set our expectations too high, but we definitely can make an impact to help uplift also African football as well.

We're here to play our part, and let's see how far we can get," Tuanzebe said.

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Tuanzebe added that the strong opening performances of Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Egypt proved that African nations can compete with elite global teams.

"It's going to be difficult. The group's very difficult.

I've been saying it from the start: There are no easy games, no easy teams. So, we'll see.

We'll see. But we're optimistic," he said.

Forward Yoane Wissa, who scored 19 English Premier League goals for Brentford before joining Newcastle United, stressed the psychological importance of recent continental successes.

"What they've been doing is just to show the world that African teams are good," Wissa said.

Wissa highlighted that showing continental strength helps change global perceptions of African football quality.

"That's really important," he said.

Portugal enters the tournament amid high domestic expectations, though preparation was hampered by localized Miami storms that forced the cancellation of a key training session.

R
Editors Team
Author: Rika Dwi Firnanda
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