England stroll into this fixture against the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the bookies at GoalZaza pricing them as heavy favourites. A 73.9% c...
England stroll into this fixture against the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the bookies at GoalZaza pricing them as heavy favourites. A 73.9% chance of victory in normal time suggests a routine afternoon, a chance for the squad to build momentum. But anyone who has watched this DRC side operate against elite opposition knows that number is a mirage.Sébastien Desabre is not a manager who parks the bus recklessly. He is a pragmatist with a plan, and his planning has been meticulous. During qualifying, his team used a four man defence in twelve of their thirteen matches. They stuck with it in a friendly against Chile. Yet when the tournament arrived and the opposition quality spiked, Desabre tore up the script. He switched to a back five, using a 5. 3. 2 shape against Denmark in a warm up and then deploying it against both Portugal and Colombia in the group stages.Let that sink in. A side ranked 65th in the world faced teams sitting 19th, 6th, and 17th in the FIFA rankings. Across those three games, they conceded just two goals. That is not luck. That is disciplined structure, a low block that refuses to be carved open, and a clear understanding of when to sit in and when to spring on the break.The question for England is whether they have the patience and the tactical flexibility to break down a side that will refuse to engage in a reckless, open game. Gareth Southgate's men will dominate possession, they will move the ball side to side, but DRC will remain compact, forcing England to find a moment of individual brilliance or a set piece routine to unlock the door. This is not a game for the faint hearted or the impatient. It is a test of nerve, a challenge to see if England can avoid the classic trap of underestimating a well organised, lower ranked opponent.Desabre knows his side will not have the lion's share of the ball. He knows the Opta supercomputer loves the Three Lions. But he also knows that football is played on grass, not on a spreadsheet. If England treat this as a formality, they will find themselves in a scrap. And this DRC team, with their new found defensive resilience, are perfectly happy to drag anyone into the mud.
