Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
Lionel Mpasi played a starring role for DR Congo as he limited Colombia to just one goal in their 2026 World Cup clash at the Estadio Akron on Wednesday, June 24.
The Leopards goalkeeper single-handedly kept the Coffee Growers at bay for 76 minutes before Daniel Munoz scored the winner via a big deflection to secure a narrow but deserved 1-0 victory for Nestor Lorenzo's side.
The Central Africans now need to beat Uzbekistan in their final Group K match on June 28 to stand a chance of joining La Tricolor in the knockout stages.
Colombia looked to make it two wins from two at the start of the tournament after they triumphed 3-1 over the White Wolves on June 18, while Sebastien Desabre's side were keen to build on their 1-1 draw with Portugal on June 17.
The South Americans bossed proceedings throughout in Zapopan as they laid siege to Mpasi's goal, although DR Congo threatened first when Edo Kayembe sent a shot narrowly wide of the left post from 18 yards out on the right in the opening minute.
But the Coffee Growers were soon on the attack and Jhon Arias forced Mpasi into a smart save with his low shot on four minutes before Munoz missed the target on the follow-up with the goal gaping.
Munoz did have the ball in the back of the net two minutes later after converting his own rebound, with Mpasi saving his initial header, although the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Mpasi had to be at his best again to deny James Rodriguez, Johan Mojica, Luis Diaz and Gustavo Puerta all inside the opening 20 minutes, but Cedric Bakambu nearly scored an unlikely opener at the other end just before half-time when headed over from a corner.
Mpasi was called into action again five minutes after the restart to keep out Diaz from close range and he was relieved to see Arias shoot wide of the right post on the rebound.
It finally took a slice of luck to beat Mpasi on 76 minutes after Munoz's shot from inside the area took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot the keeper.
Diaz thought he had doubled Colombia's lead four minutes later with a shot that found the far corner of the net, only for the assistant to raise his flag for offside.
Mpasi kept the score down to 1-0 in the closing stages as he parried Juan Fernando Quintero's driven effort away from danger on 86 minutes to give the Leopards a glimmer of hope.
They came close to equalising at the death when Nathanael Mbuku forced Camilo Vargas to turn his curling shot around the right post for a corner in the first minute of stoppage time before Chancel Mbemba failed to beat the keeper with his header two minutes later.
Colombia (0) 1 (Munoz 76')
DR Congo 0
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