England vs DR Congo Match Preview
England put in an impressive second-half performance against Croatia in their opening game and they might need to channel the spirit of that victory to see off last-32 opponents DR Congo on Wednesday.
Thomas Tuchel's men struggled in their two remaining group matches against stubborn opponents who were content to sit deep in a low block and threaten only sporadically on the counter-attack. England can expect a similar challenge against DR Congo, who will have learned from those group-stage encounters and are likely to adopt the same defensive approach as Ghana and Panama.
Sebastien Desabre's side were defensively excellent in their crucial 1-1 draw with Portugal, showing resilience to come from behind and secure the point they needed. They followed that up with another disciplined display in a narrow defeat to an impressive Colombia side. With England's attack not quite firing on all cylinders, Harry Kane and co could find chances difficult to come by in the opening stages. Against Ghana, England failed to break down a stubborn defence for the entire match, creating very little until Kane uncharacteristically spurned a glorious late opportunity.
A similar pattern emerged against Panama. England dominated possession but struggled to find a way through before Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock from a set-piece. Kane then added a second, nodding home after excellent work from the Real Madrid midfielder. England should expect another stern examination from DR Congo and it would be no surprise to see the sides level at the break before the Three Lions gradually take control as the game wears on.
While there have been occasional questions surrounding England's defence during the tournament, their overall record under Tuchel remains outstanding. The Three Lions came through the entire qualification campaign without conceding a goal and have now kept four clean sheets in their last six matches. The expected return of Declan Rice to midfield will provide an additional layer of protection in front of the back four and strengthen England's ability to control the contest.
Although DR Congo scored in two of their three group matches, the games against Portugal and Colombia provide a more accurate measure of their attacking capabilities than their clash with Uzbekistan. Their equaliser against Portugal came from a set-piece and, aside from that moment, they created very little of note.
The same was true against Colombia, where they were largely content to concede possession and stay compact. DR Congo had just 25 per cent possession against Portugal and 36 per cent against Colombia, compared to 58 per cent in their victory over Uzbekistan. That suggests they will once again allow England the majority of the ball and look to frustrate rather than attack.
Opportunities are therefore likely to be limited, particularly in the early stages. However, England possess far greater quality across the pitch and should eventually find a breakthrough. It may take patience, but the Three Lions look well placed to grind down a stubborn DR Congo side and progress to the next round.
England vs DR Congo Predictions Line-ups
England (4-2-3-1) J. Pickford; D. Spence, E. Konsa, M. Guéhi, N. O'Reilly; E. Anderson, D. Rice; B. Saka, J. Bellingham, M. Rashford; H. Kane
DR Congo (5-3-2) L. Mpasi; A. Wan-Bissaka, C. Mbemba, A. Tuanzebe, S. Kapuadi, A. Masuaku; S. Moutoussamy, N. Sadiki, Edo Kayembe; Y. Wissa, C. Bakambu
England vs DR Congo Match Odds
Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
England to win | 6/25 |
Draw | 4/1 |
DR Congo to win | 23/2 |
England vs DR Congo Match Details
Date | Wednesday 1 July 2026 |
Kick-off | 17:00 BST |
Stadium | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Round of 32 |
Where to watch | BBC One, BBC iPlayer, livescorebet.com,virginbet.com |
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