England fulfilled the first part of their summer mission by finishing top of World Cup Group L and they will be striving to take another step forward at the expense of DR Congo, who are through to the knockout rounds for the first time.
Thomas Tuchel's side are five steps away from lifting the trophy, but will be 100 per cent focused on their assignment at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, which will be assessed by Racing Post football expert Dan Childs.
Dealing with high expectations comes with the territory for England, who have waited 60 years to get their hands on the biggest prize in world football.
And there has been plenty of criticism of the Three Lions, who were held to a goalless draw by Ghana before making heavy weather of defeating already-eliminated Panama.
However, England got what they ultimately wanted by winning the section and moving through to the softer bottom half of the draw.
While England are intent on hanging around for another two-and-a-half weeks, DR Congo are already delighted to have made it this far.
The Leopards sprang a surprise with their 1-1 draw against Portugal, but a victory over England would stand out as the greatest result in their history.
Bet on England at the World Cup.
England v DR Congo Tips Summary
Best Bet - England win to nil @ 8/11
Alternative bet - Noah Sadiki to be carded @ 10/3
Bet Builder - Most goals to be scored in the second half, Jude Bellingham anytime goalscorer & Under 4 goals @ 12/1
England v DR Congo Prediction
Best Bet: England win to nil @ 8/11
England have taken some criticism for showing defensive vulnerability, but they have racked up 10 clean sheets in 11 competitive games under Tuchel and can add another shutout against DR Congo, who face the end of their World Cup adventure.
Tuchel is still working out his first-choice full-backs, but he has developed a fairly solid spine with Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa in the centre-back spots and Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson operating in midfield.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been reasonably well protected and might have a fairly routine evening’s work against DR Congo, who will be primarily focused on defensive duties.
DR Congo are a physical, well-drilled side with plenty of Premier League experience, but they had an xG of 0.35 in the 1-0 defeat to Colombia and may struggle to avoid another low-scoring loss.
Alternative Bet: Noah Sadiki to be carded @ 10/3
DR Congo have several players with Premier League knowhow, including Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki.
Sadiki came off the bench in DR Congo's opening two matches, but he was handed a start in the crucial contest against Uzbekistan and played a key role in the 3-1 success.
The 21-year-old had to tread a fine line with his tackling after receiving a 21st-minute yellow card.
Sadiki was also booked nine times for Sunderland in the 2025/26 season and his combative style may contribute to a second successive World Cup caution.
England v DR Congo Bet Builder Tip
Most goals to be scored in the second half
Jude Bellingham anytime goalscorer
Under 4 goals
Pays 12/1
England have been slow starters in recent matches and may take a while to get going against DR Congo, who can keep things fairly tight in the opening half.
Working out how to penetrate a low defensive block is an ongoing challenge for the Three Lions, who have been a little too predictable with some of their offensive play.
However, Jude Bellingham has come to the rescue on a couple of occasions and could be the man to belatedly break the African side's resistance.
If England are to win the World Cup they will need to improve greatly on their recent performances.
But their immediate task is to take another step forward and they can do exactly that with a low-scoring success.
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Key Match Stats
England have kept clean sheets in 12 of their last 13 competitive games
Fourteen of England's last 15 wins have been accompanied by clean sheets
England have started the scoring in 13 of their last 14 competitive matches
England have been level at the break in each of their last four competitive fixtures
The Three Lions have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight competitive fixtures
Fifteen of DR Congo's last 16 matches have featured less than four goals
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
