The Three Lions weren't at their best against fellow African side Ghana during the group stages, and that could be a blueprint for Sebastien Desabre to follow if he wants his team to frustrate Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Co.
Follow England vs D.R. Congo with Flashscore!
DR Congo out to frustrate England
Indeed, it's worth pondering just how Desabre's tactics ensured that between Denmark in a warm-up fixture, and Portugal as well as Colombia in the group games, D.R. Congo conceded only two goals, and only allowed four more shots on their goal than England themselves managed in the group stage.
The back five employed by Desabre certainly frustrated the likes of Ronaldo and others, and Tuchel's teams have generally struggled against a low block.
If the Congolese allow England to hit their stride as they did in their opening game against Croatia, for example, then it could be a long afternoon for Yoane Wissa and his teammates, so it stands to reason that Desabre isn't going to allow that to happen.
The issue for the Africans is that in England's last six matches in all competitions, Tuchel's side have only conceded three goals themselves, two of which came against Croatia, and in World Cup knockout games, England have a 100% record against African opposition.
African sides have been Tuchel's Achilles heel
They've won four of those six, drawing one and losing the other, whilst scoring 10 goals in the process. By contrast, D.R. Congo have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six, scoring six times and conceding on five occasions.
What's interesting from a neutral perspective is that in 14 of England's last 15 wins, they've kept a clean sheet, and yet in the 17 games that Tuchel has overseen, African sides have accounted for half of England's failures to surge to victory.
It's clear, therefore, that the Three Lions need to do something different against a country that has never got this far at the World Cup before.
In Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Arthur Masuaku and Axel Tuanzebe, the Congolese have players with Premier League experience, whilst the likes of Cedric Bakambu and Chancel Mbemba are others who have played in elite European leagues.
FIFA World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup is taking place from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament features 48 national teams and is played at 16 modern stadiums.
Match schedule and times | Group tables | How to watch the World Cup | World Cup Format | Past winners of the World Cup
Low-scoring encounter expected
Furthermore, not since March 2022 have the Leopards been beaten by more than a single goal, suggesting that this game could be a potential banana skin for England if they don't take the assignment seriously.
Anyone expecting a goal fest might be disappointed, too, given the fact that in seven of the last nine games involving the Three Lions, under 2.5 goals have been scored, whilst 13 of D.R. Congo's previous 16 matches have also not seen more than 2.5 goals.
England will no doubt rely on the combative thrust of Bellingham and Declan Rice in midfield, and the goalscoring prowess of Kane, who has already surpassed Gary Lineker as England's greatest-ever World Cup goalscorer (11 to date).
Nine big chances missed in the group stages by Tuchel's side were the most of any team, though, so if they are able to get in behind what's more than likely to be a stubborn D.R. Congo defensive line, England absolutely must take their chances.
England's defensive issues
In so doing, it will force their opponents to come out and play, and that's when the Three Lions can benefit.
The longer the game stays goalless, the more frustration is likely to creep in from an England point of view, and D.R. Congo are perfectly capable of taking advantage, particularly as Tuchel will have to make do and mend on the right side of defence.
With Tino Livramento having already been ruled out before a ball was kicked in the group stage, the coach could well have done without further injuries to Reece James and Jarell Quansah.
It leaves Tuchel with a decision as to whether to play Djed Spence there or look at other potential options, which is hardly ideal for such an important game.
Rice has also been playing through the pain barrier, which could mean that Morgan Rogers is given a longer run-out than usual if things are going relatively well for England.
The game is intriguing for a number of reasons, of course, and these types of matches are rarely straightforward for either side.
England remains the overwhelming favourite, but don't be surprised if this is a much closer affair than expected.
Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
