3 min readUpdated: Jul 2, 2026 07:19 AM IST DR Congo coach Sébastien Desabre’s historic journey with the team to the FIFA World Cup knockouts ended on a sombre note after their 1-2 defeat to England on Wednesday, when an abrupt announcement of his father’s death in the post-match press conference left him momentarily in shock. Having led Congo to their first World Cup qualification since 1974, Desabre had overseen their progress through a tough Group J that included Portugal and Colombia. The story was beginning to bloom further when Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute strike stunned England, who had to scramble back to victory late in the second-half thanks to twin strikes from Harry Kane. ALSO READ | Harry Kane breaks Congo resistance with sublime brace as England enter last 16 Speaking at the post-match press conference, Desabre was left in shock when the media officer interjected towards the end and announced the coach’s bereavement. Le sélectionneur de la RD Congo 🇨🇩 Sébastien Desabre a appris après le match de son équipe le décès de son …