African opportunity against a team with no safety net: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan prediction - 28.06.2026
The third-round World Cup clash between DR Congo and Uzbekistan will take place on June 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both teams enter this face-off with a clear objective: third place in the group could still pave a route to the playoffs, but to achieve that, they’ll need more than a cautious approach - they must seize every opportunity in a match where the value of a single goal is immense.
DR Congo: Impressive against the favorites, but now must dictate the play
DR Congo left a solid impression in the opening two rounds, even if they have just one point to show for it. In their opener, the Leopards surprised Portugal, earning a 1-1 draw - Portugal’s possession was more sterile than truly threatening. The clash with Colombia proved tougher: the African side dropped too deep and barely tested Camilo Vargas, conceding late to a Daniel Muñoz strike.
Heading into the Uzbekistan game, Sébastien Desabre may abandon the three-center-back setup and revert to a familiar 4-1-4-1. This should add width and attacking intent: expect Nathanaël Mbuku to feature, while Yoane Wissa could shift to the flank. The key question is how DR Congo will handle being the side expected to take the initiative - these scenarios often make the Leopards look less natural than when playing on the counter.
Uzbekistan: Tough start, lineup experiments, and a defense under siege
Uzbekistan have struggled for both results and goal difference in their first two matches. There were bright spots against Colombia - Abbosbek Fayzullaev’s historic goal and Akmal Mozgovoy hitting the woodwork - but the 1-3 defeat left lingering concerns. The Portugal match was even harsher: Fabio Cannavaro’s side conceded three in the first half, and two more after the break.
Cannavaro has already tried to shake things up, changing goalkeepers and tweaking positions, but the impact has been limited. Abduvohid Nematov took over after mistakes from Utkir Yusupov, Azizjon Ganiev impressed and even scored a spectacular disallowed goal, and Akmal Mozgovoy could return to the starting eleven. Still, the coach is unlikely to ditch the three-center-back formation, although defense remains the team's Achilles’ heel: eight goals conceded in two games says it all.
Probable lineups
- DR Congo: Mpasi-Nzau, Mbemba, Batubinsika, Masuaku, Wan-Bissaka, Moutoussamy, Wissa, Kayembe, Mukau, Mbuku, Bakambu.
- Uzbekistan: Nematov, Abdullaev, Khusanov, Ashurmatov, Karimov, Mozgovoy, Shukurov, Alidjanov, Ganiev, Fayzullaev, Shomurodov.
Match facts and head-to-head
- DR Congo have not scored more than one goal in regulation in their last 7 World Cup matches.
- There have been no more than 9 corners in regulation in the last 7 DR Congo World Cup and World Cup qualifying matches.
- No more than 3 yellow cards have been shown in regulation time in 12 of DR Congo’s last 15 World Cup and World Cup qualifying matches.
A battle of patience and a single decisive strike: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan prediction
DR Congo have looked the steadier side over the first two rounds. Yes, the Leopards can struggle when forced to take the initiative, and against Uzbekistan’s compact defense, they might face long spells of sterile possession. But the African squad boasts a more diverse attacking arsenal, and there’s a sense they’ve already survived the acid test against the group favorites without crumbling under pressure.
Uzbekistan need a win, but their defense gives little cause for optimism. Cannavaro’s men try to maintain structure, but against teams with individual quality, they keep losing key battles. Expect a tight, nervy encounter - but DR Congo should find that one moment to make the difference.
