DR Congo into World Cup last 32 with England awaiting

England next after Uzbekistan dispatched 3–1

Your team are through. DR Congo 3–1 Uzbekistan on Saturday evening, and the reward is a last-32 meeting with England this week (1). History, DR Congo have never reached a World Cup knockout round before.

Lumumba stuck at home

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the superfan known as Lumumba, will not be there. Denied a US visa, he cannot attend the England match (1). "Good luck to our national team. History is being made again. May God bless the DRC," he posted on Instagram alongside a photograph (1). Lumumba missed the Portugal game too, after an Ebola-related quarantine kept him out of the opener. He made it to North America for the Colombia warm-up, but this one he watches from afar.

The road here

DR Congo 1–1 Portugal in the Group K opener stunned everyone (1). A 0–1 defeat to Colombia followed in Guadalajara last Wednesday, a warm-up before the group stage (1). None of that matters now. The knockout stage is real.

England sweating on James, Scholes wants Anderson

Reece James is a "tight race" for fitness ahead of the DR Congo tie, Thomas Tuchel said (2). Paul Scholes, meanwhile, wants Elliot Anderson over Declan Rice in midfield, citing three reasons (3). England have decisions to make.

Fan reactions

The mood is euphoric but bittersweet. Congolese fans online are celebrating the historic qualification while fuming about Lumumba's visa denial. The phrase "they are scared of him" is doing the rounds. See the full discussion on r/AFCON