Democratic Republic of Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has expressed pride in his players after their narrow win over Nigeria in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs in Rabat on Sunday night.

Coolbase News reports that the Leopards defeated the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties after a tense and physical contest that swung back and forth until the final kick. The result sends Congo into the Intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico, where they will fight for a place at the World Cup.

Congo are chasing a return to the global tournament for the first time since their historic outing in 1974. The magnitude of the moment was not lost on Desabre, who praised his players for refusing to panic after conceding early.

“It’s difficult to start a match down 1-0. But the team spirit remained high, and we chose to try and control the game,” Desabre said when he spoke to reporters after the match.

He admitted that the margin between both teams was slim. “Nigeria also deserves to be congratulated. The match was very close. We could have not qualified, but overall, I think we deserved the victory,” the coach added.

Attention now shifts to March, when the Leopards will face their final test in Mexico.