DR Congo and Denmark played a goalless draw in Liège in a tough preparatory match
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Denmark played 0:0 in an international friendly match at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège, in a meeting that, according to available reports, brought plenty of tactical caution but no goals. The match was played on 3 June 2026, starting at 20:00 local time, and according to Global Sports Archive data, there were 23,043 spectators in the stands. The same source states that the main referee was Belgian Lothar D'Hondt, assisted by Romain Devillers and Nico Claes, with Erik Lambrechts as the fourth official. The score ultimately remained the same as at half-time, which accurately describes a match in which neither national team found a sufficiently clear finish to win. The basic picture of the match was firm and closed: DR Congo received an important test before appearing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Denmark continued to examine relationships within the team under head coach Brian Riemer.
A preparatory duel with different sporting goals
The meeting in Belgium carried different weight for the two national teams. According to the announcement by the Danish Football Association, Denmark included the match with DR Congo in its June programme of test matches as part of the process of building a new team after a major generational transition and ahead of future commitments in UEFA competitions. In its preview, the association particularly emphasized that Brian Riemer wanted opponents of the highest possible quality, and DR Congo was presented in that context as a participant in the World Cup and the 46th national team in the FIFA ranking at the time of the announcement. For Denmark, the match was therefore an opportunity to measure itself against a physically strong and organized African national team, but without the result imperative carried by official competition. The goalless draw showed that the Danish team has stability in the structure of play, but also that attacking automatisms did not bring enough concreteness against a disciplined opponent.
For DR Congo, the match had more direct preparatory significance because Sébastien Desabre's national team is in the final phase of preparations for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. FIFA states in its profile of the national team that DR Congo is returning to the world stage after a long period without appearing at the finals, while FIFA's 2026 schedule confirms that it is in Group K with Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan. Because of this, the duel with Denmark had the value of a test against a European selection which, according to FIFA's ranking for April 2026, was the 20th national team in the world. For Desabre's team, it was especially important to maintain defensive compactness, because at the World Cup it will have to play against national teams of different profiles, from technically strong Portugal to fast and organized opponents from South America and Asia. In that sense, the 0:0 result does not have to be attractive, but it has clear preparatory value for the DR Congo staff.
The starting line-ups showed a serious approach from both teams
According to 11v11 records, DR Congo began the match with Lionel Mpasi in goal, while the back line consisted of Gédéon Kalulu, Steve Kapuadi, captain Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe and Arthur Masuaku. Edo Kayembe, Samuel Moutoussamy and Ngal'ayel Mukau started in midfield, while Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu had the attacking roles. Such a selection suggested the intention to close the corridors toward their own penalty area through density in the middle and wide defensive positions. The experienced Mbemba was the central figure of the defensive organization, while Masuaku and Kalulu provided additional width in phases when DR Congo tried to play out of pressure. In attack, Wissa and Bakambu carried the greatest share of responsibility for transition, but the Danish defence did not allow enough space for clean situations.
Denmark, according to the same source, started with Filip Jörgensen in goal, and in front of him were Andreas Christensen, Rasmus Kristensen, Oliver Provstgaard, Patrick Dorgu and Joakim Mæhle. The midfield consisted of Christian Eriksen, captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Mathias Jensen, while Adam Daghim and Rasmus Højlund moved forward in attack. Riemer thus sent onto the pitch a combination of experience and younger players, with Eriksen and Højbjerg tasked with controlling the rhythm, and Højlund with giving depth to the attack. On paper, Denmark had more players accustomed to a high European tempo, but the match did not grow into an open game with a large number of promising chances. The fact that the only card in the official record was given to Joakim Mæhle in the 41st minute further confirms that the play was firm, but without an uncontrolled rhythm and without a larger number of disciplinary stoppages.
Substitutions changed the rhythm, but not the result
The first half ended 0:0, and the continuation brought expected changes for a friendly match in a preparatory window. According to the 11v11 match sheet, Denmark introduced Will Osula already at half-time instead of Patrick Dorgu, with which Riemer tried to gain new energy and a different profile in the final third of the pitch. In the 57th minute, Joachim Andersen and Victor Froholdt came on instead of Andreas Christensen and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, and in the 74th minute Albert Grønbaek and Kasper Høgh replaced Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Højlund. The final Danish change occurred in the 81st minute, when Lucas Høgsberg came on instead of Oliver Provstgaard. Despite these changes, Denmark did not manage to turn possession and freshness from the bench into a goal.
DR Congo made its first substitutions in the 55th minute, when Joris Kayembe and Noah Sadiki came on instead of Arthur Masuaku and Edo Kayembe. In the 70th minute, Sébastien Desabre turned to Simon Banza and Charles Pickel, who replaced Cédric Bakambu and Ngal'ayel Mukau. In the closing stages, Nathanael Mbuku and Aaron Wan-Bissaka entered, while Yoane Wissa and Gédéon Kalulu left the game. These changes showed that the DR Congo coaching staff wanted to distribute minutes and test different combinations in the defensive and attacking phases. Still, despite fresh players on both sides, the match did not lose its basic pattern: cautious positioning, many duels and little space between the lines.
Defensive discipline ahead of attacking efficiency
The most important message of the match was that both national teams managed to maintain organization and avoid major drops in concentration. For DR Congo this is particularly important because at the World Cup the team will have to withstand periods of opponent pressure and quickly transition from defence to attack. In Liège, it was evident that Desabre has enough physical strength and experience at his disposal for matches in which the priority is to protect the central space. Captain Chancel Mbemba and goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi were part of a structure that withstood Danish attempts, while the full-backs and midfielders often closed approaches toward dangerous zones. The goalless draw can therefore be a useful signal for DR Congo, although in the next tests and at the tournament it will be necessary to show more precision in the attacking third.
Denmark, on the other hand, can take from the match confirmation that the team did not lose balance even after numerous substitutions. According to the DBU, head coach Brian Riemer is working in this period on integrating a new group of players and strengthening relationships on the pitch, which the association itself cited as one of the key reasons for organizing the June friendlies. In that process, goalless matches often reveal as much as convincing victories, because they show how capable a team is of maintaining structure when there is no early goal or open scoreline. Denmark had enough experience in midfield to control parts of the game, but did not create a difference that would be reflected on the scoreboard. For Riemer, the task remains to find a better connection between midfield and attack, especially when the opponent defends narrowly and physically strongly.
The context of the stadium and the Belgian location
The match was played at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium, also known as Sclessin, in Liège, Belgium. According to available data from the match sheet, it was a neutral location for both national teams, but with special importance for DR Congo, because the DBU stated in its announcement that the national team had held a preparatory camp there before the World Cup. Belgium is a logical location for this type of preparation given the number of DR Congo internationals who play in European leagues and the logistical availability of quality training conditions. The stadium welcomed more than 23 thousand spectators, which gives the friendly match a significantly more serious framework than preparatory meetings without competitive stakes often have. The atmosphere and conditions in Liège enabled the coaching staffs to receive a test close to a high-tempo match, even though the result did not offer a dramatic outcome.
The neutral pitch also reduced the classic home advantage and directed the focus toward tactical preparation. DR Congo was formally the home team in the match sheet, but both national teams had to adapt to an environment outside their own stadiums. Such matches often have a dual function: selectors use them to test physical condition and models of play, while associations at the same time gain insight into how the team reacts in travel and organizational circumstances similar to major tournaments. For DR Congo, this is especially relevant because the 2026 World Cup will require travel between different cities and time zones. Denmark, meanwhile, received a quality test away from its home environment, before the continuation of the June programme and the match against Ukraine in Odense, which the DBU announced for 7 June.
DR Congo ahead of the World Cup, Denmark in a reshaping phase
FIFA materials on the 2026 World Cup confirm that DR Congo faces a demanding schedule in Group K against Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan. In such company, every preparatory match has emphasized value, because Desabre must find a balance between firmness and the ability for the team to be dangerous in transition. Against Denmark, the defensive part of the task was largely fulfilled, but the attacking output remained limited. That does not have to be worrying in itself, because friendly matches ahead of a major tournament often serve to manage workload and test systems, not to take maximum risk. Still, the duel in Liège showed that for a step forward at the World Cup, DR Congo will need greater efficiency from players such as Wissa, Bakambu, Banza and Mbuku.
Denmark, according to the FIFA ranking, was the 20th national team in the world in April 2026, and that status carries expectations regardless of the friendly character of the match. The DBU's announcement of the June programme shows that the goal of the national team is longer-term: creating a stable team after changes in the squad and preparing for future competitive cycles. From that angle, the draw with DR Congo is not a result that should in itself provoke strong conclusions, but it is an indicator of areas in which Denmark must improve. Defensive stability and control of rhythm were present, while final sharpness was lacking. This is a common problem in matches in which experienced bearers of play are combined with players who still need to find a permanent role in the national-team system.
A draw that means more to the coaches than to tables
Since this was an international friendly match, the 0:0 result will not have direct consequences for the standings in a competition, but it will have value in the analysis of the staffs. According to available match records, both teams used a large number of substitutions, which confirms the preparatory character of the meeting. Such matches are often remembered not for the result, but for tested relationships in the lines, reactions of new players and the team's ability to maintain the plan through all 90 minutes. In that respect, DR Congo can be more satisfied with the defensive part, and Denmark with the fact that it received another match for integration in a new cycle. For spectators, it was a tough match without goals and without a winner, but for the coaching staffs it offered enough material for the next training sessions and corrections.
After the match in Liège, DR Congo's focus gradually turns toward the opening of the World Cup and a group in which every mistake will carry a greater cost than in a friendly meeting. Denmark continues its June programme through the match with Ukraine, which the national association had earlier presented as the second test in a short national-team cycle. Both national teams leave Belgium with the same result, but not the same context: for one side it is part of immediate preparation for the greatest tournament, and for the other a step in building a team for the coming years. In that light, 0:0 at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium is not a spectacular outcome, but it is a faithful picture of a match in which organization, caution and defensive discipline came before risk and attacking width.
Sources:
- Global Sports Archive – match sheet, result, venue, spectators, referees, line-ups and course of substitutions (link)
- 11v11 – match report DR Congo against Denmark, starting line-ups, substitutions and cards (link)
- Danish Football Association DBU – announcement of Denmark's June test matches and context of the national team's preparations (link)
- FIFA – DR Congo profile and historical context of appearances at the World Cup (link)
- FIFA – schedule and context of Group K at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FIFA/Inside FIFA – official FIFA/Coca-Cola ranking for Denmark (link)
- FIFA/Inside FIFA – official FIFA/Coca-Cola ranking for DR Congo (link)