England take on the Democratic Republic of Congo at the World Cup on Wednesday looking for a place in the last 16 while co-hosts the USA prepare for the biggest match in their football history.
Two European powerhouses have already been ejected from the tournament after Germany and the Netherlands were beaten on penalties in the last 32 by Paraguay and Morocco respectively — and England don’t want to be next.
The Three Lions are aiming to end a 60-year wait to collect a major trophy, but their coach Thomas Tuchel warned his players that they are facing a team in Atlanta with nothing to lose.
“I feel it is a privilege to be in these situations. I think we can just accept it, we are the favourites (against DR Congo),” Tuchel told reporters on Tuesday.
The German cautioned though that “the games so far in round of 32 speak a very clear language. It’s narrow, narrow margins.”
England will rely on their world-class duo of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane although influential defender Reece James misses the game through injury.
DR Congo have scoured the footballing world for players with links to the vast African nation.
Of the 26-man squad, 20 were born outside of Congo — the majority in France, including forward Yoane Wissa, who is well-known to his English opponents from the Premier League.
Defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka was born in London and played for England to under-21 level and Axel Tuanzebe also represented England youth teams.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre stressed that the onus would be on England, not his side who many pundits did not expect to emerge from their group.
“Our World Cup is already a success relative to our goals,” the Frenchman said on Tuesday. “The pressure is on the England team.”
– 30 million viewers –
In a crowded field of sports, soccer has made great strides in America in recent years, but the USA players know that Wednesday’s clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina will be the biggest moment so far in that progression.
Up to 30 million Americans are expected to tune in for the primetime game in the San Francisco Bay Area, as Christian Pulisic and his teammates try to achieve the nation’s first knockout win in almost a quarter century.
“Everyone knows in the back of our minds what this could do for this country,” said US midfielder Gio Reyna.
“We feel the country rallying around us. We see the momentum it’s bringing to the sport in this country, just through the group stage. But we also understand if we make a nice run in this tournament, what it could really do for the sport.”
The light is dimming for Belgium’s golden generation including Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku and Senegal will provide a severe test of those ageing legs in Seattle.
On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappe and France laid on a sumptuous display of attacking as they eased past Sweden 3-0, with the Real Madrid forward collecting two goals to take his tally in the tournament to six.
Mbappe and his teammates ran to embrace Didier Deschamps after one of his goals, comforting their coach after the death of his mother this month.
“I think that reflects the spirit of this group — it’s part of our DNA. We are all together,” Mbappe told French broadcaster beIN Sports.
“We know the coach has been through a difficult experience; unfortunately, everyone goes through that at some point and it’s very hard.”
Erling Haaland poked home the goal that carried Norway into the last 16 for the first time as they beat the Ivory Coast 2-1.
