Yoane Wissa has given Congo DR's first World Cup knockout a clear frame. He says the side deserve to face England, and he is treating Wednesday's England vs Congo DR meeting in Atlanta as the sort of game that should be enjoyed as much as feared.

Wissa's case for Congo DR

Wissa was the central figure in Congo DR's 3-1 comeback win over Uzbekistan on Saturday, scoring both goals to seal progression. He has now scored three times in three World Cup appearances, and his 7.27 average rating underlines that this has not been a one-match burst. For a team about to play their first World Cup knockout game ever, that gives his words some weight.

Speaking to independent.co.uk, Wissa said: "England is going to be a different game, a tough, tough, tough game against top players and top opponent. We need to enjoy this kind of game. We deserve to play against England, one of the best teams in the world, so I'm looking forward to what's coming next."

He also tied the moment to his own recovery after a slow start at Newcastle. Wissa said: "I didn't show my best face at Newcastle but I knew that my time will come and this time is now." He added that he is in a good place physically and mentally, which is a neat way of saying his form feels real, not accidental.

England's knockout routine

The England side are already sounding like a team that expects penalties to matter. Jordan Pickford said, "I've been taking a few!" and described the work as part of England's daily preparation for tournament football. He also stressed clean sheets, saying they are crucial because knockout football is about fine margins.

Pickford has 87 caps for England and has been practising penalties ahead of the knockout stage. He has played in all three of England's World Cup matches, logged 277 minutes, and carries a 6.83 average rating in the competition so far. Noni Madueke has joined the same line of thinking, saying he would volunteer to take a penalty and that England know how hard these games can be to break down.

Madueke also spoke about Arsenal in a way that should be read carefully. Mirror reported the winger as saying he had played in Atlanta 12 months ago for Chelsea against Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup before his £52million move to Arsenal. That is the bit that matters here, not any bigger title gloss around it.

The setup is straightforward enough. Congo DR have already done the hard part of reaching this stage, and Wissa is leaning into the belief that comes with that. England have already started rehearsing for the possibility that Wednesday is decided from 12 yards.

That leaves a properly interesting knockout tie, and it starts on Wednesday in Atlanta.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →