Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
Harry Kane scored two late goals to help England claim a hard-fought 2-1 win over DR Congo in a 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.
Thomas Tuchel's side were facing a shock exit after Brian Cipenga opened the scoring in the seventh minute and the Leopards held out for 75 minutes, before Kane stepped up with a brace in the closing stages to set up a meeting with co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16 this coming weekend.
The underdogs got off to the perfect start when Cipenga collected the ball in acres of space on the left and cut inside before unleashing a shot that went under the out-stretched arm of Jordan Pickford at his near post on seven minutes.
England had to wait until the half-hour mark for their first real chance as Jude Bellingham got on the end of Declan Rice's cross to force Lionel Mpasi into a fine save with his header.
However, matters almost got worse for the favourites three minutes before half-time when Aaron Wan-Bissaka's cross from the right took a deflection off Nico O'Reilly and fell nicely for Yoane Wissa, who hit the right post from a few yards out.
Bellingham was presented with another opportunity in the second minute of added time after making contact with Noni Madueke's cross, but Mpasi produced a smart save to parry away his header.
Kane should have equalised on the stroke of half-time after finding himself free at the back post from a corner, only to see his volley expertly saved by Mpasi.
The 1966 world champions made a bright start to the second half, with Marcus Rashford cutting his through the defence towards goal before firing into the side-netting from an angle on 51 minutes after initially feinting to shoot.
Mpasi somehow managed to keep the ball out once more two minutes later after Bellingham's cross from the left took a wicked deflection and had the goalkeeper moving the wrong way.
Nathanael Mbuku came close to extending DR Congo's lead from a short corner on 64 minutes, but his shot was diverted just over the crossbar by Elliot Anderson.
Mpasi was finally beaten 11 minutes later and he should have done better when Kane nodded past him from Anthony Gordon's cross on the left to equal Pele's record for World Cup goals.
England completed the comeback four minutes from time and it was Kane who delivered when they needed it most. Gordon kept the ball alive after Bellingham's initial shot had been saved and he slipped the ball to the striker, who advanced into the box to lash a shot into the roof of the net to make it 13 goals on the world's biggest stage.
England (0) 2 (Kane 75' 86')
DR Congo (1) 1 (Cipenga 7')
England: J. Pickford, D. Spence (E. Eze 70'), E. Konsa, M. Guehi, N. O'Reilly, E. Anderson, D. Rice (J. Stones 90+1'), N. Madueke (B. Saka 61'), J. Bellingham, M. Rashford (A. Gordon 61'), H. Kane.
DR Congo: L. Mpasi, A. Wan-Bissaka, C. Mbemba, A. Tuanzebe, A. Masuaku (J. Kayembe 89'), N. Mukau (E. Kayembe 76'), S. Moutoussamy (F. Mayele 89'), S. Sadiki, N. Mbuku (M. Elia 64'), Y. Wissa, B. Cipenga (T. Bongonda 76').
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