DR Congo rallies to beat Uzbekistan at FIFA World Cup 2026 as Fiston Mayele scores winner

Football’s biggest stage delivered another comeback story on June 27, 2026. DR Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in a Group K fixture at Atlanta Stadium, completing a second-half rally that announced the Leopards as a team no one in this expanded tournament should sleep on.

Fiston Mayele was the name on everyone’s lips by the final whistle. The striker’s 78th-minute goal, DR Congo’s second of the match, flipped the momentum and put the result beyond doubt. Yoane Wissa also found the net as the Leopards turned a deficit into a convincing three-goal performance.

How the match unfolded

Uzbekistan drew first blood, forcing DR Congo into the uncomfortable position of chasing the game in a tournament where every point carries enormous weight. The Leopards did not panic.

The turnaround came through a combination of pressing and clinical finishing in the second half. Wissa’s goal pulled Congo level before Mayele arrived with the decisive moment. A third goal confirmed the scoreline that will sit in the Group K standings.

The bigger picture for DR Congo and digital fan engagement

DR Congo currently has no official fan token or blockchain partnership as of June 2026. No deal with Chiliz, no NFT campaign, no digital asset play of any kind tied to the national team. For a tournament generating global attention at this scale, that is a notable gap.

Fan tokens work roughly like this: clubs or national teams partner with platforms such as Chiliz, which powers the CHZ ecosystem, to issue branded digital assets. Holders get access to polls, exclusive content, and community perks. It is a way for supporters to pay for a closer relationship with their team, and it generates revenue for the sporting entity in return.

Chiliz and its Socios platform have expanded aggressively across football, bringing in clubs and federations from Europe, South America, and beyond. DR Congo’s absence from that ecosystem means the Leopards and their federation are not capturing any of that digital-era upside.

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