DR Congo manager Sebastien Desabre expressed that his squad felt motivated by their underdog status and emphasized their tactical readiness.
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"We don't have much to lose, but it is also a source of motivation. If we are here, it is because we deserve it.
The World Cup is already a success relative to our objectives," Desabre said.
"The pressure is on the England team. They have to continue to advance toward their goals.
England is ranked fourth in the world. We are ranked 41st, so naturally there is a gap.
That said, we have shown in matches that we are tactically capable of competing with nations like Portugal," he added.
African Representation
Prior to the match, Desabre advocated for increased representation of African nations on the global stage following the tournament's expansion to 48 teams.
"Football is at the heart of this continent, and we have beautiful players who worked really hard and thanks to their hard work, managed to work their way out of difficult situations," Desabre said.
"I believe that, yes, there should be more teams in the World Cup. ...
We believe that everybody should be supporting African teams for them to go as far as possible," he stated.
DR Congo midfielder Ngal'ayel Mukau reinforced the team's ambitious mindset and defensive stability during their North American campaign.
"We're not here to participate. We're really here to create our own history," Mukau said.
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DR Congo will next travel to Mexico to compete in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca.
