Kick It: Uzbekistan vs. DR Congo

Welcome back to Kick It, the AJC’s newsletter for all things World Cup. The end of the chaotic, surprising, overwhelming group stage is almost over. Sad, but exciting, because the remaining group stage matches have some interesting implications.

MATCH PREVIEW: STAYIN’ ALIVE

Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov (front) plays during a group stage game against Colombia. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP)

Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo enter Saturday’s match with one goal and one goal only: win.

What’s at stake

• The two teams are in Group K with Portugal and Colombia. The latter teams have already punched their tickets to the next round.
• Congo has one point after a surprise draw against Portugal. Uzbekistan has no points.
• If Congo wins, they could possibly move on to the next round if they’re in the top eight, third-place teams out of 16 groups. It’s the same for Uzbekistan, but with longer odds. If they draw, both teams are likely out of the tournament.

Comebacks and firsts

One cool thing about this first 48-team World Cup is that, even in defeat, teams have been racking up meaningful moral victories. Take Turkey, which notched a last-minute win against the U.S. in their last group stage match despite already being eliminated from the next round.

The two teams competing today are no different.

• This is DR Congo’s first World Cup since 1974, when they competed as Zaire. They’ve already gotten one big moment with their 1-1 draw against the mighty Portugal.
• Meanwhile, this is Uzbekistan’s first World Cup ever, and they’re carrying the tournament’s first Central Asian rep.

WHY THIS MATCH IS ESPECIALLY ATLANTAN

Congo supporter Michel Nkuka Mboladinga poses as a statue of the country’s assassinated independence hero Patrice Lumumba ahead of the group stage match between Colombia and Congo in Mexico. (Fernando Llano/AP)

Hear me out, because it makes total sense.

Uzbekistan: Honorary Atlantans

• Uzbekistan is the only team with a World Cup home base in Georgia, and their time at Atlanta United’s training facility has been a cultural exchange of sorts.
• In fact, when Atlanta United set to wooing the first-time World Cup team to Georgia, they linked up with Laghman Express, a Central Asian restaurant in Alpharetta.
• Laghman Express co-owner Babur Akhmedov made a winning pitch for Atlanta: “It’s gonna be hot here, but less hot than Texas.”

Fair enough.

🇺🇿 READ MORE: How Atlanta became Uzbekistan’s home base

Congo: Shared roots of resistance

• With Atlanta’s proud African diaspora, Congo’s cheering side will roll deep no matter what. However, the country’s history draws parallels with Atlanta’s own identity as a cradle of civil rights activism.
• That resonance can be summed up in the figure of Patrice Lumumba, the country’s first democratically elected prime minister. He helped lead Congo to independence from Belgium in 1960. A year later, he was imprisoned and assassinated.
• A Congolese fan who goes by “Lumumba Vea,” or “Lumumba Lives,” has become a national sensation for showing up to the team’s matches dressed like Lumumba, and standing in silent spectatorship as a living memorial to the country’s hero. Because of visa issues, he may not make Congo’s match in Atlanta.
• Just days after Saturday’s match, on June 30, the Democratic Republic of Congo will mark the 66th anniversary of its independence from Belgium.

🇨🇩 READ MORE: An incredible piece by the AJC’s Ernie Suggs on Congo, Lumumba and the World Cup

MATCH DETAILS

Time: Uzbekistan and DR Congo will meet at 7:30 p.m. EDT at Atlanta Stadium. Doors open three hours before match time.

Weather: Hot. So hot. Saturday’s high is 90 degrees, with a chance of thunderstorms that will do absolutely nothing to cool things off. It will probably just make it muggier.

Note: This is the latest start time we’ve seen in Atlanta so far. FIFA Fan Fest downtown will be open until midnight. MARTA trains run until 1 a.m.

SO, WHO’S COMING TO ATLANTA NEXT?

Who shall enter the cavernous maw of our fair stadium next? (Jason Getz/AJC)

Now that our group stage matches are almost over, the question remains: Who’s coming to town for Atlanta’s first knockout stage match on July 1?