The Democratic Republic of the Congo started their World Cup qualification with a hard-fought 1-0 away win against Togo on October 10, 2025. The Leopards secured a valuable three points on the road in Lomé, navigating a difficult away fixture to begin their campaign on a positive note. The match was a tense affair, with the only goal arriving in the second half through a moment of quality or a defensive error. Togo applied pressure in search of an equalizer, but the Congolese defense, marshaled by their experienced players, stood firm to see out the victory. The key incident was the crucial save or last-ditch block by DR Congo in the dying minutes that preserved their lead and the win. This away victory immediately puts DR Congo in a strong position in the group table, while Togo's home defeat is a disappointing start to their qualification journey. The DR Congo manager highlighted the importance of winning tricky away games in Africa, a hallmark of successful qualification campaigns. The starting XI for the Leopards showed both grit and enough attacking threat to secure a result that could be crucial for head-to-head tiebreakers later in the group.