Harry Kane to the rescue as England overcome DR Congo
Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes as England came from behind to defeat DR Congo and book their place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
The England captain single-handedly dragged his side out of trouble after Brian Cipenga had given the Leopards a shock early lead. Kane struck in the 75th and 86th minutes to spare English blushes and set up a blockbuster last-16 showdown against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.
The Three Lions avoid joining the likes of Portugal, who were held to a draw by the same opposition in the group stage, but Thomas Tuchel’s side were made to sweat under the Atlanta heat before securing their progression.
England fell behind after just seven minutes at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The unmarked Cipenga took control of the ball wide in the penalty area before drilling a low, powerful right-footed strike past Jordan Pickford at his near post.
Tuchel’s side dominated possession but looked defensively fragile and struggled to find a way past Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who produced excellent saves to deny both Jude Bellingham and Kane in the first half.
Things could have been even worse for England before the interval. Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa missed a golden opportunity to double DR Congo’s advantage when he hit the post from inside the six-yard area, ensuring the African nation only held a one-goal cushion at half-time.
England re-emerged with far greater urgency after the break, with substitutes Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka injecting much-needed pace into the attack. Marcus Rashford saw a goalbound effort blocked by former Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka as the pressure mounted.
The breakthrough finally came 15 minutes from time. Gordon picked up possession on the left flank and delivered an inviting cross into the box for Kane, who expertly spun away from his marker to head home the equaliser.
Just eleven minutes later, the turnaround was complete. Gordon was involved again, feeding Kane on the edge of the area. With his back to goal, the skipper worked a yard of space before unleashing an absolute rocket that whistled into the top-right corner at 94 km/h to send the English fans into raptures.
John Stones was introduced late on to shore up the defense as DR Congo pushed bodies forward in a frantic final few minutes, but England held firm to navigate their way through a massive knockout scare.
The victory means England’s World Cup dream remains alive, but Tuchel will know his side must vastly improve their defensive organisation if they are to overcome a red-hot Mexico side on their own turf this weekend.
Cover Photo: “three lions. home.” by William Brawley is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
