Four-back gamble, no Bakambu, two wingers wide: how Desabre's bold calls almost stunned England at World Cup 2026

DR Congo led until the 75th minute before being overturned by England (1-2) on Wednesday in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup. They came agonisingly close to one of the tournament's biggest upsets. Manager Sebastien Desabre made some bold decisions that very nearly proved correct, with the Leopards making the Three Lions doubt themselves for long stretches.

Having reached the last 32 for the first time in their history, DR Congo were clearly the underdogs against England. That did not stop the Leopards from making their high-profile opponents deeply uncomfortable, opening the scoring through Brian Cipenga in the seventh minute before ultimately succumbing to a Harry Kane brace late on (75th, 86th).

'We are disappointed because we really believed. We played a good match. In the closing stages, we gave away two situations and one of the best players in the world scored two goals. It is a shame' — Desabre, speaking to beIN Sports after the final whistle. [Note: original French wording; no verified English version found.]

No five-man defence

In their first two group matches, when facing opponents ranked higher on paper, DR Congo had deployed a five-man defensive line, holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw and holding out until the 76th minute before losing 1-0 to Colombia. With their backs against the wall for the final group game against Uzbekistan (3-1), Desabre had switched to four defenders against a more manageable opponent, dropping Steve Kapuadi. While the expectation was for a return to five at the back against England, Desabre surprised everyone by sticking with four.

Brian Cipenga gives Congo DR an early lead! ???#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Kja8Lgt4H0

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 1, 2026

And it barely showed. DR Congo defended in a 4-5-1 shape, their block sitting progressively deeper as the game went on. With the wide players and midfielder Ngal'ayel Mukau regularly tucking in to support the defensive unit, the Leopards held firm for long stretches, aided in no small part by the five saves from goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau.

No Bakambu, no problem

Desabre's other big call was to leave out Cedric Bakambu, the Leopards' standout player of the past decade and one goal away from equalling Dieumerci Mbokani's all-time scoring record for the national side. Against Uzbekistan, replacing the Real Betis forward — less mobile and less prolific in recent months — with Fiston Mayele had changed the game entirely, the substitute going on to score the decisive 2-1 goal.

Fierté. ??#FIFAWorldCup | @FecofaRdc pic.twitter.com/yvBVUlZRQv

— Coupe du Monde de la FIFA ? (@fifaworldcup_fr) July 1, 2026

In place of both Kapuadi and Bakambu, Desabre fielded two wide forwards: Nathanael Mbuku on the right and Brian Cipenga on the left. The latter scored a superb opener, celebrating with a memorable pirouette. Both wingers brought pace and mobility to the side, and their speed on the counter caused real damage, with Cipenga getting the better of a struggling Djed Spence — identified as England's third-choice right-back and their obvious defensive weak link. Their defensive work rate also deserved credit.

What next for the Leopards?

Desabre's in-game management was also largely sharp, holding back his first substitution until the 64th minute, which made sense given how well organised his side was. Substitutes Meschack Elia and Edo Kayembe then injected fresh energy and helped the side win possession, although supporters will have been frustrated that Yoane Wissa — who struck the post in a moment that could have changed everything — was not replaced by the more dangerous Mayele until the 89th minute.

None of that detracts from a very positive overall picture. 'Congratulations to the whole squad on our campaign. We gave absolutely everything. We are proud of ourselves' — captain Chancel Mbemba, speaking to beIN Sports. [Note: original French wording; no verified English version found.]

Those are the foundations on which DR Congo will seek to shake up the pecking order at AFCON 2027 and push back into the top five on the continent. A nation currently ranked seventh in Africa according to FIFA, they will believe they can climb higher.