Nobody told DR Congo they were supposed to be nervous. Seven minutes into one of the biggest matches in their footballing history, winger Brian Cipenga put the ball in the net and sent a nation into disbelief, in the best possible way.
DR Congo lead England 1-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and the story of this tournament just got a lot more interesting.
A goal that rewrote history
Cipenga’s strike in the 7th minute was not just a goal. It was the first time DR Congo had ever scored in a World Cup knockout stage, because July 1, 2026 marks the nation’s first-ever appearance in the knockout rounds of the tournament.
For Cipenga personally, the moment carried its own weight. The 28-year-old, who plays club football for CD Castellón, scored his first international goal on the biggest stage imaginable, and he chose arguably the biggest game his country has ever played to get off the mark.
