There is hope, but confidence… Will the White Wolves pull off a miracle?

Uzbekistan national team made its first-ever appearance at the 2026 World Cup, opening a new chapter in the history of the country’s football. Having shown confident performances in the qualifiers and reached the tournament as one of Asia’s most consistent teams, the White Wolves are now preparing for the decisive match of the group stage.

In the early hours of June 28, Tashkent time, Uzbekistan will face DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States. This match is certain to decide the playoff fate of both teams.

A difficult start to the World Cup

Uzbekistan played its first match of the tournament against Colombia, a strong and experienced South American side. Although the national team offered decent resistance in certain episodes, the opponent’s high individual quality made the difference, and the match ended 3-1 in Colombia’s favor.

In the second round, the European side led by Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best players in the world, put serious pressure on Uzbekistan’s defense and secured a heavy 5-0 victory. This result complicated Uzbekistan’s chances not only in terms of points, but also goal difference.

After two rounds, Colombia secured its playoff spot with six points, while Portugal is in second place with four points. The Democratic Republic of Congo has one point, while Uzbekistan remains bottom of the group without any points so far.

DR Congo chasing its dream

DR Congo also finds itself in a difficult situation ahead of the final round. The African side drew with Portugal in the first round and then lost narrowly to Colombia in the next match. If DR Congo defeats Uzbekistan in the third-round match in Atlanta, it will secure a place in the round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams.

For this reason, head coach Sebastien Desabre has said his team will abandon cautious tactics and play attacking football against Uzbekistan, aiming only for victory.

“We are pleased that we earned Congo’s first point at the World Cup. Our team has come a long way, and we can continue this dream and this history for all Congolese people. Our players are ready for this challenge. After the first two matches, we needed at least one point to keep our fate in our own hands. Now victory is a must, so we will have to take risks,” Desabre said at the press conference.

The team’s main attacking force is Yoane Wissa, who plays in the English Premier League and scored Congo’s only goal of this World Cup against Portugal. Experienced striker Cedric Bakambu can also pose a serious threat to any defense. Naturally, the expected final-round match will be their last hope on the path toward their dream.

The fact that DR Congo is forced to attack only for victory may also create certain opportunities for Uzbekistan. While opponents in the previous two matches mainly played by controlling possession, this time a more open game is expected on the pitch. This could create favorable conditions for the team’s faster players on counterattacks. The defense, however, will once again be tested.

So, is there a chance?

Theoretically, yes. Looking at recent results, neither team is in ideal form. Notably, in each of DR Congo’s last four matches, fewer than three goals were scored in total. The White Wolves, meanwhile, have scored six goals and conceded 13 in their last six matches. The team has always scored its goals after the opponent had opened the scoring.

However, Uzbekistan faces an extremely difficult task. First of all, it must defeat DR Congo. Not only that — it must win by a goal difference of 7 or more. It is a difficult task, but mathematically possible. Unfortunately, results in other groups have also gone against Uzbekistan. The five unanswered goals conceded against Portugal have become a serious negative factor in terms of goal difference. Therefore, even victory will not automatically guarantee a place in the next stage.

On paper, DR Congo is considered a certain favorite. The team has several experienced players who play in European leagues. However, the psychological pressure is the same for both teams. For Uzbekistan, the most important task, as always, will be to reduce defensive mistakes and make maximum use of counterattacking opportunities.

The most important thing is taking one step forward

If the White Wolves can maintain discipline, avoid conceding first and make good use of their chances, they have the opportunity to secure a historic victory. However, the main issue here is not advancing to the next stage, but winning. For the national team, securing its first victory at a major tournament during its debut appearance would be especially important psychologically.

Head coach Fabio Cannavaro said the team would take the field to win the final group-stage match, emphasizing what is truly most important for the team. According to the coach, the World Cup is becoming a major learning experience for Uzbekistan national team.

“We are learning a lot in this tournament. We can grow as a team because we are playing against high-level opponents. Tomorrow’s match will also serve our development,” Cannavaro said.

Team captain Eldor Shomurodov also emphasized that the main goal is to secure the team’s first victory of the tournament.

Overall, this is the right approach. The time for counting fading chances is over. Now, for the White Wolves, the most important thing is to play for something more important — experience and enjoyment, to free themselves from pressure and to rediscover themselves.