Harry Kane scored two second-half goals to rescue England from an early deficit and secure a 2-1 victory over DR Congo, sending Thomas Tuchel's side into the last 16 of the World Cup. The Bayern Munich striker's brace overturned a disastrous start for the Three Lions, who fell behind in the seventh minute when Brian Cipenga beat Jordan Pickford at the near post to open the scoring in Atlanta.
England struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, with Jude Bellingham seeing two goal-bound headers denied by DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. The momentum swung back and forth as half-time approached, with Kane having a penalty shout waved away and Yoane Wissa hitting the woodwork from close range for the Congolese side. The Three Lions looked vulnerable at the back, with defenders Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, and Marc Guehi all rated poorly for their performances in the opening period.
Tuchel made changes on the hour mark, bringing on Anthony Gordon, who set up Kane's first goal in the 75th minute to level the score. Kane then completed the turnaround with four minutes remaining of normal time, rifling an emphatic strike into the roof of the net to put England ahead. The match-winning brace moved Kane to joint-sixth on the all-time World Cup top scoring list with 13 goals, one clear of the late Brazilian legend Pele.
England's performance was far from convincing, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at fault for the early goal, beaten at his near post by Cipenga's first ever international strike. Former England shot-stopper Joe Hart noted Pickford's questionable positioning, saying his body weight was leaning left as the shot went to his right. The defence looked vulnerable throughout, with Spence struggling against the lively Cipenga and Konsa and Guehi fortunate not to concede further goals before Kane's intervention.
Declan Rice, returning after missing the previous match against Panama, looked rusty and delivered a subdued performance, while Elliot Anderson was tireless but slow to start. Nico O'Reilly showed nervousness in an edgy defensive display. Despite the struggles, Kane's leadership proved decisive, dragging his side to victory with a momentous second-half performance.
England will now face Mexico for a place in the quarter-finals next Monday at the Estadio Azteca. Mexico secured their spot in the last 16 by overcoming Ecuador. Tuchel's men will need to improve significantly if they are to progress further in the tournament, but the spirit shown in the comeback will provide some encouragement.
