MUNDIAL·26

First Stage · Group K · Saturday, June 27 · Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta · 68,239 in the stands

kickoff 19:30 local · 32°C · 54% humidity · roofed stadium

Congo DR

68′ Yoane WISSA

78′ Fiston MAYELE (pen)

90+1′ Yoane WISSA (pen)

3:1

Uzbekistan

10′ Eldor SHOMURODOV (pen)

tap a player for their match file

Congo DR4-4-2
Uzbekistan3-4-2-1
Lionel MPASI6.1Aaron WAN-BISSAKA7.6Axel TUANZEBE6.9Chancel MBEMBA6.5Arthur MASUAKU7.0Nathanael MBUKU6.6Samuel MOUTOUSSAMY6.5Noah SADIKI6.9Brian CIPENGA6.2Cedric BAKAMBU6.1Yoane WISSA8.5Abduvohid NEMATOV5.5Abdukodir KHUSANOV5.2Khojiakbar ALIJONOV6.2Rustam ASHURMATOV7.0Sherzod NASRULLAEV6.0Jakhongir UROZOV6.3Akmal MOZGOVOY6.9Otabek SHUKUROV5.7Dostonbek KHAMDAMOV6.1Abbosbek FAYZULLAEV6.3Eldor SHOMURODOV7.1
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′CODUZB

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 10′Shomurodov0.01 xG
  • 68′Wissa0.79 xG
  • 78′Mayele0.41 xG
  • 90+1′Wissa0.03 xG
COD 0:0 UZB0'kickoff
2' Wissa — xG 0.02 · Missed10' Shomurodov — xG 0.01 · Goal29' Wissa — xG 0.10 · Missed44' Cipenga — xG 0.03 · Blocked45 + 3' Mbemba — xG 0.05 · Missed48' Cipenga — xG 0.01 · Missed50' Wissa — xG 0.14 · Missed45 + 6' Fayzullayev — xG 0.05 · Missed51' Shomurodov — xG 0.14 · Missed53' Cipenga — xG 0.04 · Missed58' Mbuku — xG 0.02 · Saved60' Mayele — xG 0.03 · Missed61' Wissa — xG 0.25 · Missed68' Wissa — xG 0.79 · Goal75' Mayele — xG 0.09 · Missed78' Elia — xG 0.02 · Missed78' Mayele — xG 0.41 · Goal88' Mayele — xG 0.03 · Missed90 + 1' Mayele — xG 0.03 · Missed90 + 1' Wissa — xG 0.03 · Goal90 + 5' Mukau — xG 0.02 · Missed90 + 6' Bongonda — xG 0.07 · Missed90 + 7' Nasrullaev — xG 0.08 · Missed

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The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

COD 0:0 UZB
1.02.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′10' Shomurodov — GOAL68' Wissa — GOAL78' Mayele — GOAL90 + 1' Wissa — GOAL2.180.28

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

COD 4-4-2 attack →, ← UZB 3-4-2-1 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Lionel MPASILionel MPASI2Aaron WAN-BISSAKAAaron WAN-BISSAKA4Axel TUANZEBEAxel TUANZEBE22Chancel MBEMBAChancel MBEMBA26Arthur MASUAKUArthur MASUAKU7Nathanael MBUKUNathanael MBUKU8Samuel MOUTOUSSAMYSamuel MOUTOUSSAMY14Noah SADIKINoah SADIKI9Brian CIPENGABrian CIPENGA17Cedric BAKAMBUCedric BAKAMBU20Yoane WISSAYoane WISSA12Abduvohid NEMATOVAbduvohid NEMATOV2Abdukodir KHUSANOVAbdukodir KHUSANOV3Khojiakbar ALIJONOVKhojiakbar ALIJONOV5Rustam ASHURMATOVRustam ASHURMATOV13Sherzod NASRULLAEVSherzod NASRULLAEV26Jakhongir UROZOVJakhongir UROZOV6Akmal MOZGOVOYAkmal MOZGOVOY7Otabek SHUKUROVOtabek SHUKUROV17Dostonbek KHAMDAMOVDostonbek KHAMDAMOV22Abbosbek FAYZULLAEVAbbosbek FAYZULLAEV14Eldor SHOMURODOVEldor SHOMURODOV

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

53%
Possession
37%
2.11
Expected goals
0.16
65
Threat
35
19
Shots
3
5
On target
1
419
Passes completed
283
54
Forced turnovers
54
10.4s
Ball recovery time
13.6s
5.09
High-press phases
4.35
14
Fouls committed
6
3
Offsides
1
115 km
Distance covered
116 km
33.7 km/h
Top speed
33.6 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Congo DR attack →, ← Uzbekistan attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 10′Eldor SHOMURODOV (Uzbekistan) scores!!
  2. 21′Noah SADIKI (Congo DR) is booked by the referee.
  3. 43′Abdukodir KHUSANOV (Uzbekistan) is booked by the referee.
  4. 45+4′Nathanael MBUKU (Congo DR) is booked by the referee.
  5. 47′Sherzod NASRULLAEV (Uzbekistan) is booked by the referee.
  6. 51′Fiston MAYELE (in) comes off the bench to replace Cedric BAKAMBU (out) (Congo DR)
  7. 58′Odiljon XAMROBEKOV (in) comes off the bench to replace Otabek SHUKUROV (out) (Uzbekistan)
  8. 58′Azizjon GANIEV (in) comes off the bench to replace Dostonbek KHAMDAMOV (out) (Uzbekistan)
  9. 62′Samuel MOUTOUSSAMY (Congo DR) is booked by the referee.
  10. 68′Penalty Awarded
  11. 68′Yoane WISSA (Congo DR) successfully converts the penalty!
  12. 72′Ngalayel MUKAU (in) comes off the bench to replace Samuel MOUTOUSSAMY (out) (Congo DR)
  13. 72′Meschack ELIA (in) comes off the bench to replace Nathanael MBUKU (out) (Congo DR)
  14. 72′Theo BONGONDA (in) comes off the bench to replace Brian CIPENGA (out) (Congo DR)
  15. 73′Oston URUNOV (in) comes off the bench to replace Abbosbek FAYZULLAEV (out) (Uzbekistan)
  16. 78′Fiston MAYELE (Congo DR) scores!!
  17. 82′Jamshid ISKANDEROV (in) comes off the bench to replace Akmal MOZGOVOY (out) (Uzbekistan)
  18. 82′Igor SERGEEV (in) comes off the bench to replace Jakhongir UROZOV (out) (Uzbekistan)
  19. 83′Joris KAYEMBE (in) comes off the bench to replace Arthur MASUAKU (out) (Congo DR)
  20. 90+1′Yoane WISSA (Congo DR) scores!!

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Congo DR's Persistence Breaks Uzbekistan's Spell

Uzbekistan stunned Congo DR with a miraculous 10th-minute opener—their expected goal of 0.01 suggested pure fortune. But Congo DR, operating in a 4-4-2, controlled what followed: 53 per cent possession, 19 shots, and the shape of a team that knew they would eventually overwhelm. The pressure mounted through the first hour, only to falter at the 61st minute when a glorious chance (0.25 xG) slipped past. Crucially, Congo DR didn't crack. Three goals in 23 minutes from the 68th minute onward sealed an emphatic recovery.

The numbers explain the chasm. Congo DR's expected goals of 2.11 against Uzbekistan's 0.16 reflected a suffocation: in their 4-4-2, Wissa (8.5), Elia (7.7), and Mayele (7.7) systematically dismantled a side unable to cope. Uzbekistan's ball-recovery time—13.6 seconds compared to Congo DR's brisk 10.4—meant constant dispossession under high-press phases (5.1 vs 4.3). Shomurodov (7.1) and company never gained purchase. The 68th and 78th-minute strikes came from Congo DR's superiority; the 90+1' finish, a low-xG affair (0.03), merely confirmed Uzbekistan's collapse.

Uzbekistan's 0.01 xG goal was theft; Congo DR's 2.11 xG and ball-recovery dominance (10.4s vs 13.6s) was the inevitable correction.

68′

Congo DR broke through in the 68th minute, converting their dominance into the lead after Uzbekistan's early fortune evaporated.

What Congo DR needed

Possession, press, and patience won it; a missed 61st-minute chance nearly undid the script.

  • Ball recovery time (10.4s vs Uzbekistan's 13.6s) meant Congo DR's press displaced opponents constantly.
  • Their 19 shots to Uzbekistan's 3 reflected complete control; the 53% possession proved suffocating.
  • xG of 2.11 vs 0.16 was a chasm—only the 61st-minute miss prevented an earlier rout.

What Uzbekistan needed

Uzbekistan's 10th-minute miracle (0.01 xG) was undeserved; everything thereafter exposed their tactical inferiority.

  • Ball recovery of 13.6 seconds versus Congo's 10.4 meant constant dispossession; they couldn't control the game.
  • Only 1 shot on target from 3 total shots—formation 3-4-2-1 created no attacking threat.
  • xG of 0.16 tells it: they had no clear chances, just one fluky opening.