Cameroon have been knocked out of the World Cup and will not be playing in next year's finals.
The Indomitable Lions, who included Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo in their line-up for the play-off against DR Congo, were beaten 1-0 by a late goal in Morocco.
Onana, on loan from United at Trabzonspor, passed a fitness test in order to play and made one fine save to deny Cedric Bakambu as a cagey affair unfolded in difficult, wet conditions.
Our Premier League Player of the Month for October, Mbeumo, showed flashes of his class and was desperately unlucky when firing inches off target but the tie was decided in injury time.
Leopards skipper Chancel Mbema met Brian Cipenga's corner to earn DR Congo a place in the final against Nigeria, who beat Gabon 4-1 after extra-time, on Sunday, and deprive Cameroon of the chance of a ninth appearance at the World Cup finals.
The African victors still need to get through another intercontinental qualifying phase in order to reach the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Republic of Ireland pulled off a big shock by beating Diogo Dalot's Portugal 2-0 in Dublin.
Troy Parrott scored both goals in the first half before ex-Red Cristiano Ronaldo had a yellow card upgraded to a red just after the hour mark, for an elbow on Dara O'Shea. It meant a first dismissal for the Al Nassr star on his 226th appearance for his country.
Dalot started at left-back and played the whole 90 minutes but Bruno Fernandes was suspended.
Bruno will return for the home game against Armenia on Sunday, with a point needed to ensure Portugal's qualification from Group F, but Ronaldo, of course, is banned.
Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona, was in the England team for the 2-0 win over Serbia, coming off for Eberechi Eze, who scored the second goal late on, after 65 minutes.
In the CONCACAF section, a clash coached between two former United men finished 1-1 as Dwight Yorke's Trinidad & Tobago netted a late equaliser against Steve McClaren's Jamaica.