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Newcastle United latest news: Yoane Wissa has a former Magpie to thank as DR Congo progressed in a World Cup playoff against Cameroon on Thursday night.
Yoane Wissa’s dream of playing at a World Cup remains alive after DR Congo defeated Cameroon on Thursday night.
After finishing second in their qualifying group behind Senegal, DR Congo were placed into a four-team playoff. Their clash against Cameroon was effectively a semi-final with Nigeria and Gabon’s clash competing in the other playoff match.
Nigeria would ultimately go on to win that game 4-1 in extra-time to secure their place in the final. And DR Congo’s win in the other playoff match means they will be the Super Eagles’ opponents.
All three playoff matches have been staged in Morocco with the Stade Prince Heritier Moulay Hassan in Rabat to host Sunday’s final. That match will kick-off at 7pm UK time, however, the winner of the tie won’t have guaranteed their spot in next summer’s World Cup.
That’s because the victor of Nigeria v DR Congo will then play an interconfederation playoff match in March next year. Bolivia and New Caledonia have already confirmed their places in those playoff matches with one side from CONCACAF to be added alongside DR Congo or Nigeria.
Former Newcastle United star rescues DR Congo
An injury, suffered whilst on international duty with his country back in September, has ruled Wissa out of action for both his club and country ever since. The former Brentford man has yet to make his debut for Newcastle United since joining on a £55m deal on deadline day - although there is hope that his eventual debut will come in the next few weeks.
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Whilst he remained on Tyneside to rehabilitate his PCL injury, Wissa watched on as former Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba scored a stoppage time winner to secure a dramatic win for DR Congo. A deep corner was met by Mbemba who fired past a helpless Andre Onana to seal the victory.
Mbemba, who now plays for French side Lille, spent three years as a Magpies player following his £8m move from Anderlecht in the summer of 2015. Newcastle United would be relegated during Mbemba’s first season at the club in which he played 33 times in the Premier League.
He would never go on to become a regular starter on Tyneside, though, and after making just 24 appearances over the next two seasons under Rafa Benitez, was sold to Portuguese side FC Porto in 2018. Mbemba would spend four years at Porto before moving to Marseille on a free transfer in 2022 and then to Lille on a free in September of this year.
Whilst a win on Sunday will focus DR Congo’s minds on a potential first World Cup since 1974, as Zaire, they also have the African Cup of Nations coming up on the horizon. Senegal, Botswana and Benin will be DR Congo’s group stage opponents in that competition with their campaign getting underway on Tuesday 23 December.
Progression to the final in that competition could see African players unavailable to play for their club until mid-January with the final scheduled to take place on Sunday 18 January. That tournament will also be held in Morocco.
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