DRC boss Desabre hails squad's fighting spirit in England defeat

Democratic Republic of Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre saluted his players for their fighting spirit after their last-gasp defeat to England at the World Cup on Wednesday.

Issued on: 01/07/2026 - 22:03

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Brian Cipenga scored in the seventh minute at the Atlanta Stadium and DRC led for nearly 70 minutes on the back of tactical rigour and an array of dazzling saves by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.

But England skipper Harry Kane eventually cut through Mpasi's gloss to draw his side level in the 75th minute and then smash home the winner with four minutes remaining.

"Of course, we're disappointed," said Desabre. "We believed we could do it and I think we played a great match but in the end, one of the best players in the world scored twice.

"It's a shame ofr us but it's the moment to congratulate my players," added the 49-year-old Frenchman.

"They showed they are capable of such feats and matching such teams.

"They'll have learned a lot from the competition and that's the way football in the DRC will mature."

Game in knockout stages

A squad from the DRC last competed at a World Cup in 1974 in West Germany. That side returned home without a win.

More than five decades later, Desabre"s players came through a two-game African play-off and an inter-continental play-off for the chance to play in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

South Africa beat South Korea to reach World Cup knockout stages for first time

They reached the knockout rounds of the first 48-team World Cup as one of the eight best third-placed teams having drawn with Portugal, lost to Colombia and beaten Uzbekistan.

"In the final analysis, we lacked a tiny bit of experience," said Desabre. "But we won't panic. We'll learn and continue."

England to face Mexico in last 16

England boss Thomas Tuchel will lead his side into a last-16 clash against Mexico on 5 July at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The 52-year-old German hailed Mpasi and the DRC side.

"When we were knocking and knocking, the guy was incredible with the kind of saves he made."

"But also full credit to the to the mentality and to the belief of my players. We kept believing. The substitutes came on put the effort in and we won it. it was well deserved. But we had to work a lot."