West Ham United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a winning DR Congo debut as the Leopards scored a 4-1 2026 FIFA World Cup CAF Group B qualifying victory in South Sudan on Friday afternoon.
The reigning Hammer of the Year was included in DR Congo’s squad by head coach Sébastien Desabre after formally switching his international allegiance from England to the country of his parents’ birth.
Croydon-born Wan-Bissaka represented DR Congo at U20 level, appearing against England in a friendly, before switching to the country of his birth and appearing for England at U20 and U21 levels and playing at the 2019 UEFA European U21 Championship finals.
He has now started his senior career with DR Congo, who are seeking to qualify for the World Cup finals for just the second time, and the first since doing so as Zaire in 1974.
Wan-Bissaka and his new teammates, who include Premier League players Yoane Wissa and Noah Sadiki, as well as former Hammers Arthur Masuaku and Jeremy Ngakia, were too good for South Sudan.
Veteran striker Cédric Bakambu of Real Betis set the Leopards on their way, scoring two first-half goals in Juba. Fellow forward Nathanaël Mbuku of Montpellier added a third just before half-time, and Wissa a fourth in the second half.
DR Congo next host El Hadji Malick Diouf’s Senegal at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on Tuesday 9 September at 5pm DST (5pm BST).
Senegal host Sudan on Friday evening and, should they win, Tuesday’s game will be a winner-takes-all showdown, with the winners qualifying directly for next summer’s finals in North America, with the runners-up competing in a second round to qualify for an Inter-confederation play-off.
Should Sudan defeat Senegal, they too could overtake DR Congo if they win at already-eliminated Togo and DR Congo draw or lose to Senegal.
