Key events
It was a golden year for Uzbek sports. The White Wolves have qualified for the World Championship for the first time and still have a mathematical chance of making the knockout stage heading into today’s group stage final, with 20-year-old grandmaster Javohir Sindarov earning a title shot against India’s Gukesh Dommaraju at the World Chess Championship later this year. For a nation of 37 million, it’s been quite a few months.
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Croatia’s 2-1 win over Ghana means Scotland are officially eliminated from the World Cup.
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Have you heard that there are two more games in development? Look here.
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Team news
DR Congo switched to a more attacking formation for their must-win final, bringing in Brian Chipenga while Steve Kapuadi dropped out. Uzbekistan made four changes from their 5-0 defeat to Portugal, with Khodzhiakbar Alijonov, Jahongir Urozov, Akmal Mozgovoy and Dostonbek Khamdamov in the starting line-up.
DR Congo (4-4-2) M’Earth-Elephant; Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba (c), Tuanzebe, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Book, Crazy; Wissa, Woods
Spare parts Fayulu, Epolo, Kapuadi, Batubinsika, Mukau, Bongonda, Kakuta, Joris Kayembe, Elia, Tshibola, Pickel, Wisdom, Banza, Rabbit, Edo Kayembe.
Uzbekistan (5-4-1) Nematov; Nasrullae, Ashurmatov, Urozov, Khusanov, Alijonov; Faizullaev, Shukurov, Mozgovoy, Khamdamov; Shomurodov (c)
Spare parts Yusupov, Ergashev, Saifiev, Iskanderov, Khamrobekov, Zhiyanov, Urunov, Eshmurodov, Abdullaev, Ganiev, Amonov, Sergeev, Esanov, Karimov, Ulmasaliev.
Referee Felix Zweyer (Germany)
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Some recommendations before the match: Enjoy Jonathan O’Brien’s celebration of six forgotten World Cup classics. There are single runs, lightning bolts, daring shots and one exquisite Quagliarella twist. Guaranteed to improve your day (or night).
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Preamble
For DR Congo, the equation could hardly be simpler. Beat Uzbekistan tonight in Atlanta and the Leopards will almost certainly make the playoffs, either as runners-up or, more likely, as one of the best third-place teams at the World Cup.
The stakes resonated far beyond the locker room. Before the match began, President Felix Tshisekedi delivered an emotional message, calling on the nation to rally behind the team.
“This meeting is not just a football match. It is a moment of national unity,” Tshisekedi wrote. “Behind you will be more than 100 million Congolese… they will all unite around you.”
This is a remarkable position for a team competing in its first World Cup since 1974, when the country competed as Zaire. To qualify for this tournament, one had to survive the African playoffs after missing out on direct qualification.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan is clinging to the faintest hopes. They lost both opening matches and can finish no higher than third, which means that only a victory will be enough. Even so, a goal difference of -7 leaves the White Wolves needing not only a convincing win, but also significant outside help if they are to make it to the round of 16.
The other Group K match will see Colombia, already qualified, take on Portugal at the top of the standings. Colombia only needs a draw to finish first.
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Brian will be here soon. For now, let’s take a look at who needs what as the group stage draws to a close:
Who made it to the last 32?
Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Morocco, USA, Australia, Paraguay, Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Belgium, Egypt, Spain, Cape Verde, France, Norway, Senegal, Argentina, Colombia, Portugal, England and Ghana.
Who was excluded?
Czech Republic, Qatar, Haiti, Türkiye, Curacao, Tunisia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan and Panama.
How does the third place qualification work?
The top eight third-placed teams qualify for the last 32 based on a ranking that takes into account, in order: points, goal difference (GD), goals scored, fair play status (conduct) and FIFA ranking. Four points will now be enough to qualify, given the results so far.
Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Paraguay and Senegal qualified for the round of 16 as they were guaranteed to be among the top eight third-placed teams. Uruguay is eliminated as it cannot make the eight third-placed teams.
Third place tableShare
Updated 6/18 ET.