The national football teams of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Uganda ended in a 1-1 draw in their friendly match held at the FBN Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 5, 2026. This match was part of the October 2026 FIFA international break. The DR Congo team, led by coach Sébastien Desabre, was looking to avenge their 0-2 loss in the first leg against Uganda.
The match began with DR Congo attempting to impose a high press on Uganda, but their initial attacks did not yield clear scoring opportunities. In the 15th minute, Noah Sadiki's shot, deflected by an Ugandan defender, resulted in a corner kick. However, the ensuing corner kick did not lead to any significant danger for the Ugandan goal. Despite dominating possession, DR Congo struggled to create clear chances against a well-organized Ugandan defense.
The Ugandan team, on the other hand, focused on maintaining a solid midfield presence, which disrupted DR Congo's build-up play and led to several imprecise passes. In the 40th minute, Uganda was awarded a free kick near the DR Congo penalty area, but Sadiki effectively cleared the danger with a header, sending the ball into a corner. The first half ended scoreless, with DR Congo maintaining possession but unable to breach Uganda's defensive setup.
At the start of the second half, DR Congo's coach, Sébastien Desabre, introduced Steve Kapuadi in place of Henoch Inonga Baka. Shortly after, Noah Sadiki served a partner in the box, but the opportunity was not capitalized on. Uganda then had a chance to score after a defensive error by DR Congo, but their striker's shot grazed the post. DR Congo continued to press and eventually took the lead in the 53rd minute through Nathanaël Mbuku's goal.
Mbuku's goal came after a defensive lapse by Uganda, allowing him to recover the ball, eliminate two defenders, and score with a low shot that the Ugandan goalkeeper could not stop. The DR Congo players celebrated the goal with a traditional dance, "Fimbu." Five minutes later, DR Congo nearly scored a second goal, but the Ugandan goalkeeper made a crucial save to prevent the ball from crossing the goal line.
In the final quarter of the match, DR Congo sought to preserve their lead while Uganda pushed forward in search of an equalizer. In the 88th minute, Uganda had another opportunity in the DR Congo box, but their shot missed the target. However, in the 90th minute, Uganda's James Bogere scored the equalizing goal after a defensive error by DR Congo's Joris Kayembe allowed him to shoot powerfully into the net.
The match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw, with DR Congo having taken the lead through Mbuku's goal before Uganda equalized late in the game. Over the October 2026 FIFA break, DR Congo, under coach Sébastien Desabre, recorded one defeat and one draw against Uganda, scoring one goal and conceding three.
Key points
- DR Congo and Uganda played to a 1-1 draw in a friendly football match.
- The match was part of the October 2026 FIFA international break.
- DR Congo's Nathanaël Mbuku scored the opening goal, while Uganda's James Bogere equalized in the 90th minute.
