DR Congo vs Uzbekistan

Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on 27 June will host Group K’s most consequential third-round match: DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan, the meeting both squads have circled on their calendars since the December 2025 draw. For DR Congo, this is the must-win path to ending their 52-year World Cup exile with a knockout-round appearance. For Uzbekistan, this is the match they have publicly identified as their best chance of three points and a debut-tournament knockout-round result. Neither side has played a World Cup match against an opponent of remotely similar pedigree in their respective histories — DR Congo’s last World Cup was 1974, Uzbekistan’s first is 2026 — and the venue’s South Asian, Central Asian and African diaspora presence will give Atlanta a unique tournament atmosphere.

The match’s tactical script writes itself. Both Desabre and Cannavaro will deploy compact mid-blocks, prioritize defensive shape over possession, and look to win the game through transitions or set pieces. DR Congo’s 4-2-3-1 will likely shift higher than usual against Uzbekistan — they need to win, and possession will be split closer to 50-50 than in any Group K match. Uzbekistan’s 4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1 will mirror that, with Cannavaro’s defensive instincts producing a structured low-block. Neither side will press aggressively; both will look for the moment of individual quality that decides the match.

The defining individual matchup is Wissa-Khusanov. The Newcastle winger’s 19-goal 2025-26 Premier League season is the single highest forward production line of either team’s squad; the Manchester City defender is Uzbekistan’s only top-five-European-league talent. If Wissa can find space behind Uzbekistan’s defensive line on a counter — a typical Desabre transition — the match likely opens for DR Congo. If Khusanov can match Wissa’s pace and three-step dribble, the Leopards’ offensive options narrow considerably. Secondary matchups: Shomurodov-Mbemba (Serie A striker vs. veteran defender), Bakambu’s set-piece threat against the Uzbek aerial defense, and Fayzullayev’s creative ability against DR Congo’s destroyer-pair midfield.

Prediction: 2-1 DR Congo, with the Leopards winning on a Wissa goal and a late set-piece converted by Bakambu or Mbemba; Uzbekistan’s response coming through a Shomurodov header or a Khusanov-from-corner moment. The most likely scoreline given DR Congo’s marginal advantage in European pedigree, Wissa’s individual quality, and the desperate need both squads bring into the match. A 1-1 draw is the secondary outcome — leaving both teams chasing best-third tiebreakers. A 1-0 Uzbekistan win is the upset path — the kind of debut moment that would justify Cannavaro’s appointment, send Tashkent into a national celebration, and rank among the great World Cup debut performances since Senegal beat France in 2002.