Chancel Mbemba scored a winner in stoppage time to send the Democratic Republic of Congo into the African World Cup qualifying play-off final, as the Leopards beat Cameroon 1-0 in Rabat, Morocco. In a game of very few chances at the Stade El Barid, it seemed as though both sides would cancel each other out as an additional half an hour loomed on a rainy evening in north Africa.
Manchester United’s in-form Bryan Mbeumo went agonisingly close for Marc Brys’ side in the second half, stabbing just wide of the near post after he was sent through. Mbeumo’s United colleague and on-loan Trabzonspor goalkeeper Andre Onana produced a fine save to deny Cedric Bakambu, while Theo Bongonda lashed over a fine chance for the DR Congo.
However, it was a defender who would show the forwards how to do it, as the former Newcastle centre-back Mbemba ghosted in at the far post to slot home from a Brian Cipenga corner. It means that Cameroon, who have played at eight World Cups, will not be going to their ninth, while Sebastien Desabre’s DR Congo will take on Nigeria in a hotly-contested play-off final.
Cameroon vs DR Congo latest news
- GOAL! Mbemba notches in injury time
- CLOSE! Mbeumo misses golden chance
- GOOD SAVE! Onana denies Bakambu
- CLOSE! Bongonda fires over
- CLOSE! Eyong goes close
That's all, folks!
21:07 , Oli GentThanks for joining us on Standard Sport. What an ending that was! Be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE action!
Nigeria squeeze past Gabon
21:06 , Oli GentNigeria needed extra time to get past Gabon and reach the final.
They will take on the DR Congo in that match, with the victors earning a spot at the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico next year.
FT: Cameroon 0-1 DR Congo
20:58 , Oli GentThat’s it, and the DR Congo are through to the final!
Cameroon are out, and they will not be competing at a ninth World Cup next year.
The DR Congo will take on Nigeria in the play-off final.
Cameroon 0-1 DR Congo
20:54 , Oli Gent90+4 mins: A final throw of the dice from Cameroon as Eyong is replaced by Ngamaleu.
Goal! Cameroon 0-1 DR Congo
20:53 , Oli Gent90+2 min: It’s there, and it’s Chancel Mbemba! The centre-back might well have won it at the death, as he steals in at the far post to slam home emphatically! The corner got all the way through, and it’s a poacher’s finish from the defender. 1-0!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:51 , Oli Gent90+1 min: A decent cross in from Cipenga, which needs tipping over the bar from Onana. Corner, DR Congo.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:51 , Oli Gent90 mins: Five added minutes.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:49 , Oli Gent88 mins: Sadiki is replaced by Ngal Mukau.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:47 , Oli Gent87 mins: Close! The ball falls for Eyong after Nkoudou is blocked off, but his finish is tame and kept out by M’Pasi!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:45 , Oli Gent85 mins: Close! Mayele is in, and has a real chance here... but he blazes wide! The flag is raised on the near side, however, and spares his blushes!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:43 , Oli Gent83 mins: Aboubakar is protesting, saying that Cameroon should have had a penalty. There wasn’t anything doing, however, and we are creeping towards extra time...
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:41 , Oli Gent81 mins: Ten minutes to go and we are still no closer to finding a winner.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:39 , Oli Gent78 mins: The tempo of the game has slowed down somewhat, with the rain still driving down.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:35 , Oli Gent75 mins: Two changes for the DR Congo, with Brian Cipenga and Fiston Mayele on for Mbuku and Bakambu.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:33 , Oli Gent74 mins: Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Christian Bassogog are on for Nagida and Avom.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:32 , Oli Gent72 mins: Free kick, DR Congo. Tchatchoua is untidy with his challenge and this is a chance for Mbuku to whip one in. He does, but it’s nodded clear by Ngadeu.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:29 , Oli Gent69 mins: A bit more end to end now as Onana claims a cross authoritatively and looks to set a counter off, but Wan-Bissaka puts a quick stop to it.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:25 , Oli Gent65 mins: Close! That’s the closest either side has come, as Mbeumo bursts through, but can only poke wide of the post!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:24 , Oli Gent64 mins: The DR Congo are looking a bit more positive in this second half. More front-footed than their Cameroonian counterparts. Who can find that elusive opener?
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:21 , Oli Gent61 mins: Great save! The ball breaks for Bakambu, who has a clear sighting of goal, but Andre Onana keeps him out! Corner, DR Congo.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:20 , Oli Gent60 mins: Edo Kayembe is on, replacing Pickel.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:18 , Oli Gent58 mins: Nouhou is the latest to be booked after he chops down Wan-Bissaka with a lunging challenge tight to the touchline.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:16 , Oli Gent55 mins: That’s wild from Eyong, who lashes one high and wide from the edge of the area.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:13 , Oli Gent52 mins: Aboubakar has made an impact off the bench and he goes for a speculative effort from range. He catches it reasonably, but that’s easy for M’Pasi to keep out.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:08 , Oli Gent50 mins: There is heavy rainfall here in Rabat, and the ball is holding up on the pitch, which has taken on a fair amount of water...
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
20:07 , Oli Gent48 mins: Two changes at the break for Cameroon, with Vincent Aboubakar and Martin Hongla on for Magri and Baleba.
Kick off!
20:06 , Oli GentWe’re back underway.
HT: Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:48 , Oli GentThere’s the interval. Nothing to write home about.
Let’s hope for better in the second half.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:48 , Oli Gent45+1 min: One added minute.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:46 , Oli Gent44 mins: A good challenge from Sadiki in centre-field, but the ball falls kindly for Baleba. He sweeps it out to Tchatchou, but the right-back’s cross is wayward.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:41 , Oli Gent40 mins: Wan-Bissaka makes a dart down the right looking to inject some positivity into the Congolese attack. They work it back inside as a result of the high Cameroon press, and the tempo slows again.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:36 , Oli Gent35 mins: Neither goalkeeper has been forced into a proper save yet. A bit of a tough watch so far.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:32 , Oli Gent31 mins: Close! Bongonda is looking liveliest for the DR Congo after a great ball in finds him at the far post. He gets it under his spell, but fires over!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:29 , Oli Gent28 mins: Corner, Cameroon. Mbeumo’s outswinger is nodded clear by Tuanzebe.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:26 , Oli Gent25 mins: A very bitty game so far with the referee particularly card-happy. He books Bongonda this time for dissent after the winger complains after a free-kick is given in his favour.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:23 , Oli Gent22 mins: Mbeumo is over this one. He fizzes one in, and it just nips over the top from Eyong who just diverts over!
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:22 , Oli Gent21 mins: Free kick, Cameroon. There’s a yellow card for Mbemba after the Leopards’ captain trips Eyong on the left flank. A chance for Brys’ side to whip one into the box.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:21 , Oli Gent20 mins: A game of little quality so far. Mbeumo’s chance in the early exchanges is the best we have had at present.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:19 , Oli Gent17 mins: Nothing doing from the set play, and the DR Congo come again.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:17 , Oli Gent16 mins: Free kick, DR Congo. Mbuku goes down under challenge from Baleba, who eases the winger out of the way. Unfairly, according to the referee. There’s a booking for Avom for dissent.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:12 , Oli Gent12 mins: Close! Sadiki makes the first contact, but, craning his neck muscles, he can’t direct it goalwards.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:11 , Oli Gent11 mins: Corner, DR Congo. Bakambu picks it up on the left and looks for the cross, but Nouhou is equal to it. A chance for Mbuku to whip one in here...
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:09 , Oli Gent9 mins: Free kick, DR Congo. A cynical challenge from Magri, coming through the back of Bongonda. He survives the booking due to it being early in the game.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:07 , Oli Gent6 mins: Close! The first sighting of goal for either side and no surprise that Mbeumo is at the heart of it. The Manchester United man looks sharp, linking with his team-mates with neat, intricate one-twos. He follows his passes and breaks into the box, but his finish is tame and straight at M’Pasi.
Cameroon 0-0 DR Congo
19:04 , Oli Gent3 mins: A direct start from Cameroon, looking to launch long balls early at the Congolese defence. No breakthrough so far, however.
Kick off!
19:01 , Oli Gent1 min: We’re underway.
Five minutes to kick off
18:55 , Oli GentThe atmosphere is ramping up in Rabat ahead of this one.
Who will come out on top?
Extra time!
18:50 , Oli GentNigeria vs Gabon has gone to extra time!
You can follow along with that match on Standard Sport, with the winners there playing tonight’s victors.
Team shapes
18:40 , Oli GentIt seems - from a first glance - that it could be two 4-3-3s in store this evening.
That said, if Ngadeu drops into the defensive line for Cameroon, it’s more likely to be a 3-4-3.
The DR Congo have gone strong, with Sunderland’s Noah Sadiki back in the side in the engine room.
Cedric Bakambu also returns up top, and he’ll be looking to pin the Cameroonian centre-backs to make space for Theo Bongonda and Nathanael Mbuku either side.
DR Congo lineup
18:30 , Oli GentDR Congo XI: M’Pasi; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kayembe; Pickel, Moutoussamy, Sadiki; Bongonda, Bakambu, Mbuku.
Subs: Cipenga, Mukau, Kalulu, Essende, Epolo, Fayulu, Kayembe, Kapaudi, Masuaku, Bushiri, Mayele, Balikwisha.
Let's analyse that lineup...
18:20 , Oli GentAndre Onana is back in the spotlight - but not for Manchester United.
The goalkeeper - now on loan at Trabzonspor - is in net for the Cameroonians this evening. His United team-mate Mbeumo is playing off the right, supporting Karl Etta Eyong and Frank Magri in the front three.
Arthur Ayom and Carlos Baleba would usually be joined by Anguissa, but with the midfielder’s injury, Michael Ngadeu comes in. He could either be a defensive midfielder or drop into a more natural centre-back position to create a back five.
Cameroon lineup
18:00 , Oli GentHere’s how the Cameroonians start this one...
⚽️🔥 #MATCHDAY
— Les Lions Indomptables Officiel (@LIndomptables) November 13, 2025
Le XI entrant des #LionsIndomptables. #CAMEROUN 🇨🇲 🆚 🇨🇩 #RDC
📅 13/11/2025
⏰ 20H00
🏟️ Al-Barid Stadium
📍Rabat - Maroc #FIFAWC2026Q | #CMRRDC | #GOLIONS | #ALLEZLESLIONS | #LETSROARTOGETHER | #INDOMPTABLES | pic.twitter.com/ofiyX6SXl6
Key Cameroon star ruled out
17:50 , Oli GentCameroon suffered an injury blow earlier today when star midfielder Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa was ruled out long term.
The former Fulham man has suffered a hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out until the turn of the year.
The Napoli star is often a shoe-in for Brys’ side, but they will have to do without him this evening as they bid to take one step closer to the World Cup.
England vs Serbia LIVE!
17:40 , Oli GentEngland are also in World Cup qualifying action at Wembley tonight.
Thomas Tuchel’s side take on Serbia in their penultimate game before a trip to Albania at the end of the week.
How does qualification work?
17:30 , Oli GentThis qualification path to the 2026 World Cup is a bit more complicated than the European route.
These two teams - as well as Nigeria and Gabon - are here as a result of finishing second in their respective groups, but how do they progress to the tournament next year?
Nigeria vs Gabon LIVE!
17:20 , Oli GentThe other World Cup qualifying play-off on this evening is between Nigeria and Gabon.
The winners of that game play the winners of this one.
Standard Sport prediction
17:10 , Oli GentThis should be a close game between two evenly-matched sides.
The DR Congo have the better defence, but Cameroon are more stacked in attack.
It seems like an encounter where both teams cancel each other out, but where’s the fun in that?
Cameroon to win, 2-1.
DR Congo team news
17:00 , Oli GentAs for the DR Congo, Sebastien Desabre is at pretty much full fitness with his squad.
The defence is where the DR are most noticeable, with West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back, joined by former Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba and ex-Manchester United central defender Axel Tuanzebe in the middle.
Sunderland’s Arthur Masuaku will complete the back four, while Edo Kaymebe of Watford should line up in midfield.
Football Manager icon Theo Bongonda could start on the right after his goal against Sudan last time out.
Cameroon team news
16:50 , Oli GentThe big news for Marc Brys’ side is that former Fulham midfielder Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa is out with a long-term hamstring injury that will come as a real blow not just to the Cameroonians, but also to his club Napoli.
Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne have suffered similar injuries at the Italian side.
So, it means that Cameroon this evening will be without one of their key midfielders, but they have depth, with the likes of Arthur Avom and Jean Onana capable of doing a job in the engine room.
Elsewhere, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba should complete that midfield trio, while former Stoke forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is among the options in the front three.
Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo, of course, is the main man, and he is likely to be joined by Edouard Eyong up top.
How to watch
16:40 , Oli GentTV channel: This game is not on TV in the UK.
Live stream: However, it can be streamed for free on FIFA’s offiicial streaming platform, online at FIFA+.
Hello and welcome!
16:31 , Oli Gent... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Cameroon’s World Cup qualifier against the DR Congo.
It’s all to play for this evening, with a place in the final at stake.
Kick off is 7pm GMT. Stay tuned for all the updates!
