Published Jun 17, 6:42pm ET by
Demilade Adelekun - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 17, 6:42pm ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jun 17, 6:42pm ET
Congo DR and Uzbekistan meet on matchday 3 of Group K at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with both sides knowing a win could be enough to advance as one of the best third-place teams.
Yoane Wissa leads a Congo DR side making their first World Cup appearance in 52 years against Uzbekistan, who are playing their debut tournament entirely on foreign soil.
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| Uzbekistan | -130 |
| DRAW | +250 |
| Congo DR | +310 |
Yoane Wissa scored 14 Premier League goals for Brentford before moving to Newcastle this season, where he continued producing at a high level in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. He is physical, direct, and dangerous in the penalty area. Chancel Mbemba captains the side with 100-plus caps and years of Champions League experience at Porto and Marseille. Cédric Bakambu adds experience up front with 68 caps. Simon Banza provides a target presence that gives Congo DR an aerial option Portugal and Colombia didn't face from this side earlier in the group.
Congo DR qualified in remarkable fashion, beating Nigeria and Cameroon in CAF rounds before winning a playoff 1-0 after extra time against Jamaica. Seven wins and one draw from nine qualifying matches, 14 goals scored and five conceded. That defensive record is not an accident. This is a structured, organized side with enough Premier League and European quality in the key positions to handle a World Cup group stage.
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Uzbekistan is making history just by being here. Fabio Cannavaro transformed them into a qualifying force, and their unbeaten qualifying record (two wins, two draws, zero losses) reflects a side that is genuinely hard to break down. Abdukodir Khusanov anchors the defence from Manchester City, the lone elite club representative in the squad. Eldor Shomurodov leads the attack, a physical striker who has scored in European football across several seasons. Abbosbek Fayzullaev adds creativity on the right.
The structural problem is the squad beyond those three. Most of Uzbekistan's players compete domestically or in the Russian Premier League. Against Congo DR's Premier League and European-based forward line, the quality gap in the positions that produce goals is real. Cannavaro has been clear that the Congo DR fixture is their primary target. They know it. So does Congo DR.
Wissa's Premier League quality against a Uzbekistan defence that has held up well in qualifying but hasn't faced this level of forward. Mbemba organizes the back and gives Congo DR the defensive structure to stay organized while attacking. This is the match Congo DR were built for. We're backing Congo DR -130
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Pick
Congo DR -130
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