DR Congo to attack Uzbekistan in must-win World Cup clash

The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a must-win scenario in their final World Cup group match against Uzbekistan, with only victory securing their progression in the tournament. Coach Sebastien Desabre has signaled a significant shift in strategy, moving away from the defensive formations employed against Portugal and Colombia in favor of a more attacking approach.

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Portugal were number five and Colombia number 13 in the FIFA rankings, so we made a deliberate choice to play a 5-3-2 formation.

Desabre explained that the previous defensive tactics were a deliberate choice, given the higher FIFA rankings of Portugal (fifth) and Colombia (13th). He believes the team performed well within that 5-3-2 system, with a minor mistake costing them the match against Colombia. However, for the upcoming game, the team will be organized specifically to "enable us to score," as the coach clearly stated.

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But for tomorrow we will have our team organised in such a way as to enable us to score, let’s be clear about that. We know what we have to do in order to advance.

DR Congo currently sits with a single point, earned from a 1-1 draw against Portugal. Uzbekistan, despite losing both their opening games and conceding seven goals, still retains a chance to advance if they secure a win. The Congolese team will rely on their main attackers, 35-year-old Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa, who plays in England.

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Wissa was back to his old self when we started our pre-tournament preparations.

While Wissa scored against Portugal, his season at Newcastle United was hampered by injury. Desabre expressed confidence in Wissa's return to form, noting his motivation and training efforts. The coach emphasized that playing at a higher level requires a victory-oriented mindset, with the ultimate goal being to outscore the opponent.

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We are playing at a much higher level than we are used to, and in these high-stakes games, victory is the only option, and, in the end, the goal is to score one goal more than our opponent.