World Cup 2026: DR Congo stuns England at halftime!

DR Congo leads at the break after withstanding English dominance and nearly doubling the advantage through Yoane Wissa

Africa 01 July 2026 at 13:01

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World Cup 2026: DR Congo stuns England at halftime!

01.07.26 FT World Cup

England

DR Congo

Driven by a decisive Brian Cipenga and an imperious Lionel Mpasi, DR Congo heads into halftime leading England and dreaming of a historic upset.

DR Congo is shaking England to its core. At halftime in this round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta, the Leopards lead the Three Lions 1-0, inching closer to a monumental achievement.

The game turned on its head as early as the 7th minute. Off a long ball from Chancel Mbemba, Yoane Wissa cleverly let it run for Brian Cipenga, who coolly slotted past Jordan Pickford at the near post with a clinical finish. From there, Sébastien Desabre's men showed remarkable discipline, maintaining a compact block and relying on the commanding presence of Lionel Mpasi in goal.

DR Congo could have even extended their lead when Wissa struck the post just before halftime. Moments later, England thought they had won a penalty after Harry Kane went down in the box, but VAR waved play on. Frustrated, imprecise, and running out of ideas against the Congolese wall, Thomas Tuchel's side now faces 45 minutes to avoid a colossal disappointment.