England face DR Congo in the round of 16 and Bellingham eyes another decisive display
The England national team finished the group stage top of Group L and now prepare for their first World Cup knockout clash against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The challenge looks manageable on paper, but the Leopards have already shown they did not come to be extras.
A group stage to forget, but the objective achieved
England came through the group without shining. The 4-2 win over Croatia opened the tournament with euphoria, but what followed cooled the fans’ enthusiasm. The goalless draw against Ghana was hard-fought and disputed. The 2-0 over Panama, which had seemed on track, required more effort than the scoreline suggests. Thomas Tuchel has still not found his ideal team.
The German coach has rotated a lot, and further changes are expected for the clash with the Congolese. Jarell Quansah remains a doubt with an injury, and Declan Rice should reappear among the starters after a period of rest. Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka have been fielded at different moments, but neither has managed to nail down a first-choice role. The lack of creative repertoire down the flanks is, so far, the Three Lions’ biggest collective problem.
Bellingham at the centre of it all
If there is one name not up for debate, it is Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder has been by far England’s best player on the pitch. It was he who settled the comeback against Croatia with a goal of high technical quality, and it was he who found the net and provided an assist against Panama at the moments the team needed most. At 23, Bellingham seems to grow the bigger the stage gets. In the round of 16, he is the natural candidate to be the decisive factor once again.
What to expect from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
For the Leopards, it is already history. Never before had DR Congo reached the knockout phase of a World Cup. Sebastien Desabre has built a pragmatic side that is hard to break down. It showed its capacity to react against Uzbekistan: it fell behind to Eldor Shomurodov, turned it around and won 3-1.
The name to watch is Yoane Wissa, a forward who plays for Newcastle in the Premier League. Despite a modest season at the English club – just one goal in 19 league games – the 29-year-old striker is on another level at this World Cup: three of Congo’s four goals have gone through him, including a precise header against the Portuguese. In the group stage, Wissa racked up nine shots, the fourth-highest volume among all Group K players. Jordan Pickford is likely to be tested.
Congo’s strategy should be based on a low defensive block and quick transitions – exactly the pattern that troubles England most. Tuchel knows this. If the Leopards manage to organise their transitions at speed, the game could stay tense for a long time. England have leaders on the pitch, and Rice’s return is an important boost to contain this kind of situation, but the path should not be smooth. A narrow-margin win looks the most likely outcome for the English to go through.
