{"id":16539,"date":"2026-07-01T05:41:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16539"},"modified":"2026-07-01T05:41:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T00:11:37","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>Match 48 | Group K | Estadio Akron, Guadalajara | 24 June 2026 | 7:30 AM IST<\/i><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Match_Overview\" title=\"Match Overview\">Match Overview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Colombia_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" title=\"Colombia \u2014 Team Analysis\">Colombia \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#DR_Congo_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" title=\"DR Congo \u2014 Team Analysis\">DR Congo \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Head-to-Head\" title=\"Head-to-Head\">Head-to-Head<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Tactical_Preview\" title=\"Tactical Preview\">Tactical Preview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Key_Story_lines\" title=\"Key Story lines\">Key Story lines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview\/#Our_Prediction\" title=\"Our Prediction\">Our Prediction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Match_Overview\"><\/span><b>Match Overview<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Colombia and DR Congo arrive at Estadio Akron with their fates tightly linked in Group K. Colombia are sitting on three points from a confident 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, and three more here would effectively seal their place in the knockout round. DR Congo earned a hard-fought point in a 1-1 draw against Portugal \u2014 a result that announced them as a genuine threat in this group \u2014 but a win here is now essential if they\u2019re to keep their FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 ambitions alive.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><i>\u25ba Catch every kick live on ZEE 5 \u2014 India\u2019s official home of the<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><i> FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/i><\/a><i>. Download the ZEE 5 app.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Colombia_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/colombia\/colombia-squad\"><b>Colombia <\/b><\/a><b>\u2014 Team Analysis<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>N\u00e9stor Lorenzo\u2019s Colombia arrived on the back of a 28-match unbeaten run and a Copa America final in 2024 \u2014 only Argentina stopped them, in extra time. Against Uzbekistan, they were measured and professional. Daniel Mu\u00f1oz opened the scoring in the 40th minute; Uzbekistan equalised; D\u00edaz restored the lead; and substitute Jaminton Campaz killed it off with a 99th-minute header.<\/p>\n<p>Luis D\u00edaz is their primary striker. James Rodr\u00edguez, the 2014 Golden Boot winner with six goals in Brazil, captains the side at 34 and now plays at Minnesota United. That contrast between D\u00edaz\u2019s current trajectory and Rodr\u00edguez\u2019s twilight is one of the interesting tensions in this squad.<\/p>\n<p><b>Key player: Luis D\u00edaz \u2014 <\/b>D\u00edaz is 29, at Bayern Munich, and in the form of his life \u2014 26 goals and 19 assists last season, and the player DR Congo\u2019s defensive structure will spend the whole game trying to contain.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DR_Congo_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/congo-dr\/congo-dr-squad\"><b>DR Congo<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 Team Analysis<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>S\u00e9bastien Desabre\u2019s DR Congo are back at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. They last appeared as Zaire in 1974 and left without scoring in any of their three group games. Yoane Wissa equalised in first-half stoppage time against Portugal to give the Leopards their first-ever goal in this tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty of the 26 players were born outside the country, and the European quality it brings is clear. Chancel Mbemba, 100-plus caps, anchors the defence at Lille with authority. Aaron Wan-Bissaka covers the right flank. C\u00e9dric Bakambu brings 21 international goals and a veteran\u2019s reading of the game. Desabre\u2019s setup is compact and structured \u2014 they\u2019ll defend, absorb pressure, and look to spring on the break.<\/p>\n<p><b>Key player: Yoane Wissa \u2014 <\/b>scorer of DR Congo\u2019s first-ever World Cup goal and the counter-attacking threat Colombia\u2019s defence must account for.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Head-to-Head\"><\/span><b>Head-to-Head<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Colombia and DR Congo have never met in international football. Not once. This is the first competitive fixture between these nations, which means there\u2019s no historical edge to lean on \u2014 no old result to reference, no psychological scar or inspiration to draw from. They arrive at this matchup defined entirely by what they\u2019ve done in this tournament.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tactical_Preview\"><\/span><b>Tactical Preview<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Lorenzo sets Colombia up in a 4-2-3-1 with the wide players given real attacking license. D\u00edaz drifts inside from the left; Mu\u00f1oz pushes high from right-back; Rodr\u00edguez drops deep to pick passes. The midfield is Colombia\u2019s engine, and Desabre will need his back four disciplined and in shape for 90 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Desabre will defend deep and ask his players to release Wissa quickly in transition \u2014 that\u2019s the mechanism. Wissa running off the last defender, Colombia\u2019s line caught high. DR Congo will concede possession and wait for the moment to spring. Against Colombia\u2019s midfield quality, they\u2019ll need their defensive shape to hold for long stretches.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Story_lines\"><\/span><b>Key Story lines<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Luis D\u00edaz has been outstanding at club level \u2014 26 goals and 19 assists for Bayern Munich last season. But the World Cup is where legacies are built. At 29 and in the form of his life, this tournament is his chance to become more than a very good European footballer.<\/p>\n<p>DR Congo are back after 52 years. This 2026 side has already equalised against Portugal in first-half stoppage time and earned a point from a genuine European powerhouse. They\u2019re here to do more than make up the numbers.<\/p>\n<p>James Rodr\u00edguez won the Golden Boot with six goals at the 2014 World Cup and carried Colombia to the quarter-finals. At 34 and finishing his career in MLS, this is almost certainly his last. He doesn\u2019t need to reach those heights \u2014 but Colombia will need at least one Rodr\u00edguez magic moment before the group stage is done.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_Prediction\"><\/span><b>Our Prediction<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Colombia should have enough here. D\u00edaz in his current form is a match-winner, the midfield is stacked, and DR Congo \u2014 for all their heart \u2014 will struggle to sustain defensive shape over 90 minutes against this level of pressure. Expect Colombia to grow into it after the break.<\/p>\n<p>Colombia 2-0 DR Congo.<\/p>\n<p><strong><i>\u25ba Don\u2019t miss a moment of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 action. Stream live and on-demand on <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><i>ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription <\/i><\/a><i>\u2014 wherever you are in India. Download the ZEE 5 app today.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Match 48 | Group K | Estadio Akron, Guadalajara | 24 June 2026 | 7:30 AM IST Match Overview Colombia and DR Congo arrive at Estadio Akron with their fates tightly linked in Group K. Colombia are sitting on three points from a confident 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, and three more here would effectively seal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":16540,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3408,3031,3103],"class_list":["post-16539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-colombia-vs-dr-congo-preview","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-group-k"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-45.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIFA World Cup 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