Venue: Estadio Akron in Guadalajara (Zapopan) Date: Wednesday 24 June Time: 2:00 am Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy) Colombia and DR
Venue: Estadio Akron in Guadalajara (Zapopan)
Date: Wednesday 24 June
Time: 2:00 am
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Colombia and DR Congo will meet at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara (Zapopan) on Wednesday, June 24 (Tuesday night local time in the US), in a Group K clash that could shape the rest of the section. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations in men’s international football.
Colombia top the group after an impressive 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in their opener, although the scoreline somewhat flattered the South Americans.
Luis Diaz’s 65th-minute strike put them 2-1 up before Jaminton Campaz settled the contest deep into second-half stoppage time.
DR Congo, meanwhile, produced one of the stories of the tournament so far. The Leopards held the star-studded Portugal to a 1-1 draw to earn their first-ever World Cup point — making their first World Cup appearance since competing as Zaire in 1974, equalising through Yoane Wissa’s header after falling behind early to a Joao Neves header, despite having just 25% of possession.
Colombia can effectively book their place in the last 32 with a victory, putting six points on the board ahead of a matchday-three clash with Portugal.
For DR Congo, defeat would almost certainly end their campaign before it has truly begun, given Portugal are expected to beat Uzbekistan in the other Group K game.
Colombia are expected to be unchanged from their win over Uzbekistan, with no injury concerns reported, and James Rodríguez set to start in an advanced role alongside Jefferson Lerma, Luis Díaz, Luis Suárez and Jhon Arias.
DR Congo are also reporting no fresh injury setbacks, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe and Wissa all set to start again.
Diaz shone against Uzbekistan with a goal and an assist, while also winning more duels and fouls than any other Colombia player on the pitch.
For DR Congo, Wissa would become only the second African player to score in each of his first two World Cup appearances, after Egypt’s Mohamed Salah in 2018, should he find the net again.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Colombia a 58% chance of victory from 25,000 simulations, with the odds of a DR Congo win and a draw rated identically at 21% each.
Most pundits expect Colombia’s superior quality to eventually tell, with DR Congo’s well-organised defence and counter-attacking threat likely to make it a tighter contest than the form table suggests — particularly in the first half.
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