England face a resilient Democratic Republic of Congo side at the World Cup on Wednesday, with a place in the last 16 at stake, while co-hosts the United States prepare for the biggest match in their football history.
Two European heavyweights have already exited the tournament after Germany and the Netherlands were knocked out on penalties by Paraguay and Morocco respectively, a warning England will be keen to heed.
The Three Lions are targeting a first major trophy in 60 years, but head coach Thomas Tuchel cautioned that DR Congo represent a dangerous opponent with little to lose.
“I feel it is a privilege to be in these situations. I think we can just accept it; we are the favourites,” Tuchel told reporters on Tuesday.
However, he added that recent results had shown “very clear language” about the round of 32, noting that margins “are narrow, very narrow.”
England will again look to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane for inspiration, though they will be without key defender Reece James through injury.
DR Congo have assembled a squad drawn from across the global diaspora, with 20 of their 26 players born outside the country — many in France. Among them is Yoane Wissa, familiar to England fans through his Premier League performances.
Defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, born in London, previously represented England at youth level, while Axel Tuanzebe also featured for England’s junior teams.
DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre said the pressure would be on England rather than his side, who exceeded expectations just by reaching the knockout stage.
“Our World Cup is already a success relative to our objectives,” he said on Tuesday. “The pressure is on the England team.”
US eyes historic moment
In the United States, attention is turning to a defining night for the national team, with up to 30 million viewers expected to tune in as they face Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco Bay.
Christian Pulisic and his teammates are chasing the country’s first World Cup knockout win in nearly 25 years, in what is being billed as a landmark moment for the sport’s growth in America.
“Everyone knows in the back of our minds what this could do for this country,” said midfielder Gio Reyna.
“We feel the country rallying around us. We see the momentum it’s bringing to the sport… but we also understand what a deep run in this tournament could mean.”
Elsewhere, Belgium’s ageing “golden generation,” including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, face a stern test against Senegal in Seattle.
On Tuesday, France produced a commanding display in a 3-0 win over Sweden, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to take his tournament tally to six goals.
Mbappé said the team’s support for coach Didier Deschamps, who recently lost his mother, reflected their unity.
“I think that reflects the spirit of this group — it’s part of our DNA. We are all together,” he said.
Erling Haaland also struck late as Norway edged Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 to reach the last 16 for the first time in their history.
AFP
