Mpasi and Mbemba held the fort, Cipenga the heartbroken hero, full Congo players ratings

DR Congo yet buckled and were eliminated by England (2-1) on Wednesday successful the past 32 of the 2026 World Cup, having led for agelong periods astatine the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Sebastien Desabre's program was astir perfect, and the Leopards believed for agelong stretches that they could origin a seismic upset. But a Harry Kane brace yet shattered their imagination successful Atlanta. Here are the afloat DR Congo subordinate ratings pursuing that achy exit.

England travel backmost to assertion their spot successful the Round of 16! ?#FIFAWorldCup

DR Congo subordinate ratings vs England

GOALKEEPER

Lionel Mpasi-Nzau — 7/10

Already the unfortunate leader of the Colombia lucifer with 9 saves, Mpasi-Nzau produced different outstanding show against England, making 5 stops. His saves from 2 Jude Bellingham headers successful the archetypal fractional and from Kane's close-range effort volition unrecorded agelong successful the memory. The lone flimsy blemish was a contentious coming-together with Kane that led to a punishment assertion being waved distant earlier the break. It is hard to ideate him remaining a back-up enactment astatine Le Havre aft a World Cup of this quality.

DEFENDERS

Aaron Wan-Bissaka — 7/10

The right-back was composed and highly invaluable successful defence, champion illustrated by his goal-line clearance to contradict Rashford astatine the tallness of England's first-half pressure. It did not halt the West Ham antheral showing his comfortableness successful the attacking signifier either, evidenced by a superb transverse that recovered Wissa, who struck the post.

Chancel Mbemba — 7/10

A captain's show from the Leopards' skipper. He instantly exceeded his antiaircraft little and delivered the transverse that recovered Cipenga for the opening goal. From that point, helium was uncompromising successful the aerial and connected the ground, clearing respective unsafe balls including 1 disconnected the enactment erstwhile helium headed distant Bellingham's shot-cross that Mpasi-Nzau could not hold. His marking connected Bellingham's archetypal header, however, erstwhile helium was beaten successful the air, was much unfastened to question.

Axel Tuanzebe — 5.5/10

The sliding artifact to contradict Kane successful the archetypal fractional was precisely the benignant of involution that made the centre-back truthful valuable. He was regularly commanding successful the air, winning headers to repel England's crosses from wide areas. However, helium was caught retired of presumption connected Bellingham's question for the English equaliser — a uncommon lapse but 1 that proved highly costly.

Arthur Masuaku — 4.5/10

The DR Congo left-back delivered a coagulated and disciplined display, keeping his flank well-covered portion contributing to the team's build-up play successful a satisfactory manner. He was somewhat little salient than his team-mates, and his nonaccomplishment to adjacent down the abstraction for Kane's 2nd extremity is simply a just criticism.

MIDFIELDERS

Ngal'ayel Mukau — 6/10

Back successful the starting XI, the Lille midfielder produced a agleam showing, winning respective important balls and regularly dropping backmost to enactment the antiaircraft structure. A invaluable contribution.

Samuel Moutoussamy — 5/10

The midfielder enactment successful an energetic, committed displacement arsenic usual, pressing perpetually and filling successful erstwhile the antiaircraft enactment needed cover. His enactment levels were appreciated adjacent if helium occasionally lacked precision.

Noah Sadiki — 5/10

The Sunderland midfielder gave everything successful defence and made his stock of the antiaircraft contribution. He was booked aboriginal connected successful an avoidable mode and recovered definite duels hard to win. Generally thoughtful successful his organisation and made bully decisions, though not everything came off.

??????? England person qualified for the Round of 16!#FIFAWorldCup

FORWARDS

Nathanael Mbuku — 5/10

A selfless and wholehearted show from the Montpellier right-winger, who enactment successful repeated antiaircraft runs and played a important relation successful limiting Rashford's power connected his flank. He won fouls and took carnal punishment, earning Bellingham a booking, and astir caused havoc with an audacious effort that Anderson deflected conscionable implicit the barroom earlier helium was withdrawn.

Yoane Wissa — 4.5/10

Had helium turned that close-range effort past Pickford alternatively than into the post, this lucifer could person taken an wholly antithetic course. It would beryllium harsh to laic blasted astatine the feet of a striker who gave everything, including attempting to retrieve a shot with his caput portion inactive connected the ground.

Brian Cipenga — 6/10

The scorer of the opening goal, the Castellon winger work the counter-attacks brilliantly successful the aboriginal stages and got the amended of an overrun Spence. He became little decisive arsenic the fractional wore on, excessively often attempting to spell unsocial alternatively than prime the champion enactment earlier the break. His antiaircraft enactment passim was besides of genuine value.

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

SUBSTITUTES

Meschack Elia — 5/10

The winger showed plentifulness of ambition and tried repeatedly, but was mostly good contained and struggled to nutrient the telling contributions successful transition.

Edo Kayembe — 5/10

A utile cameo that injected vigor and helped the broadside triumph possession backmost connected respective occasions.

Theo Bongonda — Not rated

Joris Kayembe — Not rated

Fiston Mayele — Not rated