Congo will be an opposition team against which even a simple mistake can be costly. Thomas Tuchel's England (pictured) managed to win Group L after losing at the last minute.
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England have not been able to find the form they were hoping for at the 2026 World Cup. The team will be in for a tough time when they face DR Congo in the last 32 on Wednesday. Congo will be an opposition team against which even a simple mistake can be costly. Thomas Tuchel (pictured) England (pictured) was the last to win Group L.
That is why the road ahead looks largely clear for England. Despite this, England have not been able to perform at their best. They were held to a disappointing goalless draw in their second group game against Ghana. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored against Panama. But as the tournament progresses, more goals will be expected from other players.
England's 4-2 win in their opening match against Croatia was a thrilling one. England's overall performance in the league stage was characterized by a lack of imagination, a weak attack and an inability to project an image of a title contender. All these problems will have to be solved in the knockout stage match in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Congo, on the other hand, reached the second round as one of the eight best teams in third place. Congo had been on the verge of elimination from the competition once in the league stage. The team has performed well since then. In the match held in Atlanta, Congo won an impressive 3-1 over Uzbekistan. A win in this match was essential for Congo to advance.
Sébastien Desabre's team played two players in two attacks against Uzbekistan. It is clear that he will play five players in the back line against England. Congo used the same strategy in the league stage to hold Portugal to a 1-1 draw and narrowly lost 1-0 to Colombia. Congo will be looking to repeat the same performance.
Midfielder Declan Rice could return to the starting 11 for England, but the problem with the right back still remains. Rice did not appear in the match against Panama due to injury. The team will have to weave as many precise attacks as possible. For Congo, the performance so far can be considered a success in a way.
Why is this? In its only previous World Cup participation, the country stopped at the league stage. At that time, the team played in the name of Zaire in the 1974 World Cup and its first experience was not a pleasant one. Zaire did not score a single goal at that time and conceded 14 goals. It conceded 9 goals in the match against Yugoslavia. In the World Cup qualifiers, Congo had brushed aside the challenge of Jamaica.
On the other hand, England is considered a team that is expected to go a long way in this World Cup. England is on a mission to win its first major title in 60 years. To make that happen, they will need to put in a strong performance against Congo, at least for now. The winner of this match will face the winner of the match between Mexico and Ecuador in the last 16.
