England vs DR Congo preview and prediction: Get ready for an exciting 90 minutes ahead!
England kicks off their World Cup knockout stage against DR Congo on Wednesday, hoping to bounce back after some shaky moments that have got fans a bit nervous.
The team impressed everyone with their group-stage win over Croatia, but the 0-0 draw with Ghana and a late 2-0 win against Panama left fans wanting more. Maybe it’s not so surprising. Before the tournament, a Ladbrokes survey found that 29% of fans got most excited when the draw was announced, not during the matches themselves—very British, right?
Even though the last two games didn’t fully satisfy fans, England is through to the last 32 and is a strong favorite to move on. Interestingly, 20% of fans said they would only start watching from the knockout rounds. So maybe this is the moment the Three Lions can really lift everyone’s spirits again.
DR Congo plays with two strikers, aiming passes at their main target man and using fast wingers to support him close to goal. Their solid defending has been impressive too. One standout player is Arthur Masuako, who Premier League fans will remember from his time at Sunderland and West Ham. He’s a left-back who loves charging forward on counters, making him a big threat.
We saw Panama trouble England on the left side, forcing Bukayo Saka to defend deeper than he’d like, especially with Reece James out injured. If Masuako uses his usual energy, England will have a tough time keeping up with him on counters. He’s also a strong one-on-one defender and won’t give up easy chances.
We all know Harry Kane’s importance, but the last two games against tight defenses have limited his impact. While Saka remains crucial in defense, England will need Kane to move more and link up better to break through. DR Congo will likely play like Ghana and Panama did, putting pressure around Kane, so players like Jude Bellingham and either Declan Rice or Morgan Rogers will need to help out.
Kane should also remember he’s the main striker and keep his place up front, encouraging his teammates to feed him the ball. England needs to support Kane better, but he can also improve with smarter movement and leadership without dropping too deep.
So far, England has mostly controlled their games, thanks in part to Elliot Anderson, though Ghana did cause a few scares on counterattacks. The key battle will probably be on the sides of the pitch. Both teams have active wingers and fullbacks. DR Congo loves quick counterattacks, so if England’s players like Nico O’Reilly make runs toward the box, it could leave gaps for Congo to exploit.
On the flip side, Congo’s defenders are strong but can be challenged by England’s overlapping runs from wide defenders or midfielders like Jude Bellingham sneaking inside.
Don’t expect a goal-fest—this is likely to be a tough, hardworking match with DR Congo aiming for an upset.
In the Ladbrokes fan survey, only 2% thought England would be knocked out in this round, and just 3% predicted they’d lose in the next round, which could be against Mexico or Ecuador. An impressive 67% are confident the Three Lions will reach at least the semi-finals.
England’s manager Thomas Tuchel admits they need to step up their game, but since DR Congo finished third in their group and only beat Uzbekistan, it would be surprising—and disappointing—if England didn’t advance.
That said, DR Congo did hold Portugal to a 1-1 draw and lost narrowly 1-0 to Colombia, so expect a close, tense match. England are strong favorites at 1/12 odds to win, and 1/4 odds to settle it in regular time. Betting on an extra-time win looks tempting at 10/1, but we expect England to come out stronger and take a 2-0 win—nervy but steady.
The Round of 32 match between England and DR Congo is at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 1, at 5pm UK time (12pm local time). Get ready!