ATLANTA, 1st July 2026 -A resurgent England scraped through to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at the death, thanks to a dramatic brace from captain Harry Kane. The Three Lions came from behind to secure a breathtaking 2-1 victory over a gritty Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Leopards stunned England early on, clawing their way into the lead in just the 7th minute. An unmarked Brian Cipenga found space in the box and coolly slotted the ball past Jordan Pickford to put them ahead.
Buoyed by the opener, DRC showed steely determination as they hunted for a historic World Cup shocker. In the 42nd minute, Yoane Wissa came agonizingly close to doubling their lead; the forward failed to tap in a sizzling cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the ball rattling the post and bouncing wide.
England threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, but they repeatedly ran into DRC’s indefatigable shot-stopper, Lionel Mpasi. The goalkeeper produced two world-class saves before the break to deny Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
Frustration mounted for England when a penalty appeal for a challenge on Kane was waved away, with the referee booking the captain for diving despite furious protests from the England players and the touchline. Just before being substituted, Marcus Rashford also thought he had leveled the scoring with a goal-bound effort, only for a DRC defender to heroically clear it off the line.
Recognizing the need for fresh firepower, tactician Thomas Tuchel made sweeping changes in the second half. He bolstered the midfield and attack by introducing John Stones, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, and Anthony Gordon, replacing Djed Spence, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke, and Declan Rice.
In the 74th minute, the tactical reshuffle paid immediate dividends, and England’s resilience finally broke the Congolese defense when substitute Anthony Gordon made an instant impact in the run of play, picking out Kane with a pinpoint cross. The captain rose highest to head home the equalizer.
The Gordon-Kane connection struck again in 85th minute when Gordon delivered a clever back-flick into the box to Kane, who danced between two Leopard defenders before unleashing a ferocious, right-footed shot into the top right corner, leaving Mpasi stranded.
With their knockout spot officially secured, England will fly out to face tournament co-hosts Mexico on Sunday, 5th July 2026.
