In the standings, Colombia won their opening match and have 3 points, so victory here would seal qualification early. The Democratic Republic of the Congo held Portugal to a draw and have 1 point, so they will be highly motivated to take something from this match. There is a clear gap between the two sides in squad value and world ranking, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo have shown outstanding defensive resilience. Colombia mainly operate in a 4-3-3 possession-based system. Luis Díaz provides width and dribbling on the flanks, while James Rodríguez offers stable control and distribution from midfield. Their 3-1 win in the opening round showed their ability to break down stubborn opposition. Their weakness is that when the full-backs push high, space is left behind them. Against a deep defensive block, their attacking tempo can become slow, and prolonged pressure can leave them vulnerable to counterattacks. The Democratic Republic of the Congo consistently switch to a 5-4-1 low block. Wan-Bissaka and Mbemba form a Premier League-level back line, with intense man-to-man physical duels, and they conceded only one goal in the opening round. Their weakness is the lack of a player in midfield who can carry the ball, so their attacks rely almost entirely on quick transitions from Wissa and Bakambu. After the 65th minute, fitness drops and the back line becomes less forgiving. The handicap line reflects the gap in quality, but Colombia’s opening-round draw against a strong opponent on the defensive side cannot be ignored. Colombia are likely to control the game, but it will be difficult to open up a two-goal margin consistently. A narrow win is possible, with the visitors +1.