DR Congo face Uzbekistan on Saturday with a clear goal: A convincing win could send them past Portugal and into second place in Group K – ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and co.
While Portugal takes care of group leader Colombia, DR Congo faces the Uzbeks in Atlanta. A loss for Roberto Martínez’s men will open the door for the Africans – but they will also have to take on a six-goal goal difference. It is a tough task, but one they take with great pleasure. A win of any size will probably be enough to advance as one of the best third teams.
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“They are a very good team. I know some of the players from there. They never give up. But neither do we. It will be a good game,” striker Simon Banza told Reuters.
“We have had one goal since we came to the World Cup, and that is to go far in the tournament.
Uzbekistan can also qualify, but need a crushing win – which seems difficult for a team led by former Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro, who won the championship as a player in 2006. They have only scored once in the games against Colombia and Portugal.
World Cup 2026: Team news for DR Congo vs Uzbekistan
DR Congo have a full squad available, but coach Sébastien Desabre can go from a five-back line to a four-man defence – given the need for goals. That could mean that Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki – who has surprisingly started on the bench in the first two games – will be brought in.
Uzbekistan has no new injuries.
DR Congo v Uzbekistan: Predicted line-ups for the 2026 World Cup
DR Congo (4-3-3): Mpasi – Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Masuaku – Mukau, Moutoussamy, Kayembe – Sadiki – Bakambu, Wissa
Uzbekistan (5-4-1): Yusupov – Khusanov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov – Karimov, Shukurov, Khamrobekov, Nasrullaev – Fayzullaev, Urunov – Shomurodov
World Cup 2026: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan stats
- Only Wales (64 years, between 1958 and 2022), Egypt (56 years, between 1934 and 1990) and Norway (56 years, between 1938 and 1994) have had longer absences between World Cup participations than DR Congo.
- Only Bolivia (first five games), Canada and Greece (first four games) have played more World Cup games before their first goal than DR Congo, who are still waiting for their first goal.
- Including the play-offs, 10 of DR Congo’s 13 qualifying matches ended in a draw or by a one-goal margin – and they kept a clean sheet in eight of those 13 games.
- In African qualification, only Gambia and Gabon (3 each) had more players with at least six goal points than DR Congo. Cédric Bakambu (4 goals, 2 assists) and Wissa (3 goals, 3 assists) contributed six each.
- Sébastien Desabre is in his third championship as head of DR Congo. He led them to fourth place in the AFCON 2023 and the last eight of the 2025 edition.
- Uzbekistan is making its World Cup debut and will become the first team since Slovakia in 2010 to reach the knockout stage on its debut.
- They are one of five teams to have reached the knockout stages of the AFC Asian Cup in each of the last six championships, along with Iran, Iraq, Japan and South Korea.
- Qatar was the only team to beat Uzbekistan in their 16 qualifying matches – with a goal in the 12th minute of added time at home.
- Eldor Shomurodov was involved in the most goals of any Uzbekistan player in the qualifiers – with five goals and four assists.
- Head coach Fabio Cannavaro played every minute as captain of winners Italy in the 2006 World Cup – his four World Cup appearances equalling a record for the Azzurri.
- Cannavaro, hired in October 2025, is in his second national team managerial term – he led China in 2019.
World Cup 2026: Prediction for DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan
DR Congo appears to be the strongest team on paper, and we think they will take the win they need to reach four points. Whether they can score enough goals to overtake Portugal is another matter.
Prediction: DR Congo 2-0 Uzbekistan
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