DR Congo vs Uzbekistan Prediction 27 June 2026
🔊 At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, DR Congo are chasing a place in the knockout stage for the first time in their history. This is only their second World Cup appearance. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are making their debut - and their North American adventure is effectively over. Theoretically they can still go through, but even a win is unlikely to be enough. More on the standings below.
Head-to-Head
📊 The two sides have never met.
DR Congo Team Overview
🔵 Colombia kept up sustained pressure on the Congolese defence for almost the entire match, but eight saves from Lionel Mpasi kept it to just one goal. Going forward, the Leopards offered almost nothing - just 0.45 xG across the whole game. Congo sit third in Group K on one point, but second place is still mathematically possible. They need to beat Uzbekistan and hope Portugal lose to Colombia. The bigger the winning margin and the heavier Portugal's defeat, the better the chance of overtaking them on secondary criteria. Four points is potentially enough as one of the best third-placed sides. A draw, though, leaves almost no realistic path through.
📌 Desabre might ditch the back three and go more attacking - a 4-3-3 with Sadiki or Bongonda alongside Wissa and Bakambu up front. Mbemba should come in next to Tuanzebe at centre-back. One thing worth keeping in mind: Congo don't tend to blow teams away. One win by more than two goals in their last 16. Chasing second place is a stretch - but they need to score goals, and plenty of them.
Match Results: DR Congo
Uzbekistan Team Overview
⚪ Yes, World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro is on the bench - but the players on the pitch are first-time participants at the biggest tournament in football. After a tough opener against Colombia, they faced an even harder test against Portugal. The Europeans were ruthless. The one bright moment for Uzbekistan was Aziz Ganiev's fine finish at 0-2 - disallowed for a foul. That was about it on the positive side.
🟢 Uzbekistan can no longer qualify directly for the last 16. Best they can do is third place with a win - but even then, making the best third-placed cut is extremely difficult with a goal difference of minus seven. Most likely they'll just try to end the tournament on a high and win their first-ever World Cup match. Even a single point would already be a notable achievement. The key question is what Cannavaro goes with. Does he stick with the cautious three-at-the-back or take a risk and go more attacking? With nothing to lose, the bolder option is absolutely on the table.
Match Results: Uzbekistan
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DR Congo
🎤 Sébastien Desabre after the Colombia match: "It was a very difficult game. We played against a strong team and have to admit Colombia were better. They controlled the ball well and we got into the game too late. It would have been great to take at least a point, but we have to accept this defeat, keep our heads high and get back into it as fast as possible. Now we'll have to take risks, because a draw in the next match won't be enough."
❌ All DR Congo players are available and training normally.
Uzbekistan
🎤 Fabio Cannavaro after the Portugal match: "I feel for the players, but the gap in quality was too big. Conceding five is too many. I take responsibility - I make the decisions. We tried to play with courage but made too many mistakes against a team of that level. Ganiev's disallowed goal could have changed the game and given us confidence, but after that the team lost belief. This tournament has to be a learning experience. We're at the World Cup for the first time and we have to take lessons even from painful defeats like this."
❌ All Uzbekistan players are fit and available for the final group game.
Predicted Lineups
📃 Predicted starting XI DR Congo: Mpasi - Masuaku, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka - Kayembe, Moutouissamy, Mukau - Bakambu, Wissa, Bongonda.
📃 Predicted starting XI Uzbekistan: Nematov - Ashurmatov, Abdullaev, Khusanov - Nasrullaev, Shukhrov, Khamrobekov, Karimov - Fayzullaev, Ganiev, Shomurodov.
⚽ Goals Prediction
This one points to goals. DR Congo need a win - ideally a comfortable one. Uzbekistan have nothing to lose. Over 2.5 goals has landed in three of Uzbekistan's last three matches. Cannavaro's side showed against Colombia and Portugal that they can create chances even against better teams. DR Congo don't have the same level of control and dominance as those opponents, so Uzbekistan should get more opportunities going forward. Total goals over 2.5 at 1.91*.
🚩 Corner Prediction
DR Congo will have more of the ball and threaten more often, but they rarely rack up corners. Uzbekistan will also struggle to consistently get into the final third. Total corners under 8.5 at 1.93* - that bet has landed in nine of Uzbekistan's last ten official matches.
🟨 Yellow Card Prediction
This match won't be without bookings. It may not turn nasty, but DR Congo matches tend to come with a fairly high level of physical contest. Total yellow cards over 2.5 at 1.73*.
😱 Risky Bet
If DR Congo control the game, Uzbekistan will naturally be the side fouling more. But there's another scenario: if Uzbekistan defend well and hit on the counter, Congo will be the ones giving away fouls. In that case, DR Congo to receive more yellow cards at 4.33* is one for the risk-takers.
🎯 Safe Bet
Uzbekistan's defence has been leaking goals - not just at this World Cup, but in pre-tournament friendlies against Canada and the Netherlands. DR Congo have players from top European leagues, and a clean sheet for Uzbekistan is hard to believe. The Africans even scored against Portugal. DR Congo to score at 1.17*.
👀 If the Match Doesn't Go as Planned
If Cannavaro goes attacking, Uzbekistan could leave themselves exposed at the back. If he sets up cautiously and compact, the White Wolves could nick a draw - which doesn't suit DR Congo at all. Uzbekistan not to lose at 2.05* is an interesting alternative.
🚀 Player Stat Bet
Yoane Wissa remains DR Congo's main attacking threat. He plays in one of Europe's top leagues and is the key figure in his side's front line. Against Portugal he scored and had two shots; against Colombia he was less prominent but still got on the ball in dangerous areas. With Congo needing a win, a large chunk of their attacking play will run through him. Yoane Wissa to have 3 or more shots at 1.70*.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
Editor's Prediction
A DR Congo win is the most logical outcome. Desabre's side were solid against Portugal and competitive until the end against Colombia - with Mpasi the standout. Now the attacking players need to step up: Wissa, Bakambu, Bongonda, Sadiki.
Uzbekistan have nothing to lose, so they might play with more freedom than usual. But whatever Cannavaro chooses, the class advantage sits firmly with the African side. Open up and the defeat could be heavy; sit back and DR Congo should still find their way through. We're backing the Africans to win 3-1.
Will this prediction come true?
Betting Tips: DR Congo - Uzbekistan
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