Group K | Atlanta Stadium | 28 Jun 2026 | 5:00 AM IST
Match Overview
Neither side can advance as a top-two finisher from Group K. But DR Congo still have a case — a win gives them four points and puts them in contention for one of the eight best third-place slots in the tournament. For Uzbekistan, on zero points from two games, it is about ending their debut World Cup campaign with something to show.
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Uzbekistan — Team Analysis
Fabio Cannavaro — Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning captain and Ballon d’Or winner — has guided Uzbekistan to its first-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup. Results have been hard: a 3-1 loss to Colombia and a 5-0 defeat to Portugal. But the campaign itself is a milestone for Central Asian football, and Cannavaro has spoken throughout about building something for the future.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev’s tap-in against Colombia showed there is an end product in this squad when chances arrive. Abdukodir Khusanov, the Manchester City defender, has been their best individual performer, with genuine class at the back that few of his teammates can match. Captain Eldor Shomurodov leads the attack, and his hold-up play will be crucial if Uzbekistan are to find anything here.
Key Player: Abbosbek Fayzullaev— Uzbekistan’s most dangerous attacker, Fayzullaev scored their only World Cup goal against Colombia and carries the threat on the break. A strong performance here would be a fitting end to a landmark campaign.
DR Congo — Team Analysis
DR Congo return to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years — since they appeared as Zaire at the 1974 tournament in West Germany. They held Portugal to a 1-1 draw before losing narrowly to Colombia, conceding only Daniel Munoz’s 76th-minute goal across those 180 minutes. The defensive discipline from Sebastien Desabre’s side has been genuine.
Captain Chancel Mbemba — Lille’s veteran centre-back and DR Congo’s most-capped player — organises the back three. Arthur Masuaku provided the cross for Yoane Wissa’s equaliser against Portugal, and Cedric Bakambu leads the attack with 21 international goals to his name. There is experience and quality throughout this squad, enough to justify confidence heading into Atlanta.
Key Player: Yoane Wissa — Wissa scored DR Congo’s first World Cup goal in 52 years, a header against Portugal that silenced Houston. Quick, direct and dangerous in behind, he is the player Uzbekistan will be most wary of.
Head-to-Head
These two nations have almost never shared a senior international pitch. No World Cup history between them, no meaningful rivalry. In Atlanta, they face each other in what is, for all practical purposes, a first real encounter.
Tactical Preview
Desabre’s back three has been the foundation — Mbemba commanding at the centre, Masuaku providing width at wing-back, and Wissa and Bakambu working in tandem up front. Against a side that has conceded eight goals in two matches, DR Congo will arrive in Atlanta believing they can win and win well.
Cannavaro’s 3-4-2-1 provides more structure than the results suggest. Khusanov anchors the defence, Fayzullaev and Shomurodov are the attacking outlets. If Uzbekistan can cut the defensive errors that cost them against Colombia and Portugal and force DR Congo to work hard for their chances, a point remains possible.
Key Storylines
- Cannavaro lifted the World Cup as Italy’s captain in 2006 and was named the best player on the planet that same year. Two decades on, he’s pacing the touchline for Uzbekistan. The scorelines have been heavy, but getting Central Asia to their first World Cup was an extraordinary achievement in itself.
Our Prediction
DR Congo is comfortably the stronger side on the evidence of this group. Their defensive record against Portugal and Colombia is outstanding for a team returning to the World Cup after five decades, and the quality of Wissa, Bakambu and Masuaku makes them capable of hurting any side at this level.
Uzbekistan will battle — Cannavaro won’t send them out without belief. But DR Congo has more quality, more cohesion and more motivation. A Leopards win feels like the likely outcome, though Uzbekistan could yet claim their first-ever World Cup point if the chances fall their way.
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