England 2-1 Congo DR: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Harry Kane surpasses Pele to send Three Lions into round of 16

Harry Kane scored doubly arsenic England came from down to grounds a 2-1 triumph implicit Congo DR successful the last-32 signifier of the 2026 World Cup connected Wednesday.

Brian Cipenga sent Congo DR up successful the seventh minute, and it was a conflict for England for agelong stages of the contest.

However, Kane levelled the scores with a header successful the 75th infinitesimal earlier striking a glorious victor for Thomas Tuchel's broadside to nonstop them into the circular of 16.

England volition present instrumentality connected co-hosts Mexico successful the adjacent circular connected Sunday.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Goodness me. What a match.

Huge recognition indispensable spell to Congo DR, who enactment successful a heroic effort connected Wednesday, but La Celeste yet came up short, mostly owed to the brilliance of England skipper Kane.

The Three Lions skipper scored a brace to determination him onto 13 World Cup goals, 1 much than the legendary Pele managed, and however his state needed him.

Kane's 2nd was a genuinely stunning effort, firing into the backmost of the nett successful a existent portion of quality, but determination stay immense question marks surrounding this England side.

It was not a show that the likes of France, Argentina and Spain volition beryllium disquieted about, but an exit for England present would person been utterly disastrous, and they stay successful the competition.

ENGLAND VS. CONGO DR HIGHLIGHTS

Brian Cipenga extremity vs. England (7th min, England 0-1 Congo DR)

Congo DR instrumentality the pb against England, and it is Cipenga connected the scoresheet, with the attacker firing the shot past Jordan Pickford astatine his adjacent post.

Djed Spence was obscurity to beryllium seen erstwhile the shot was shifted across, and Cipenga managed to find the decorativeness to daze England successful the aboriginal stages.

Harry Kane extremity vs. England (75th min, England 1-1 Congo DR)

England level the scores successful the 75th infinitesimal of the match, and it is Kane with the header - the England skipper nodding a transverse from Anthony Gordon into the backmost of the net.

Harry Kane extremity vs. England (86th min, England 2-1 Congo DR)

Scenes! Kane scores a 2nd for England and has possibly sent the Three Lions into the circular of 16, with the striker smashing 1 into the extortion of the nett from conscionable wrong the box.

MAN OF THE MATCH - HARRY KANE

A fig of Congo DR players are unfortunate to miss retired connected this award, including goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau and centre-back Axel Tuanzebe, but it conscionable has to beryllium Kane.

It proved to beryllium a hard archetypal fractional for Kane, but the Three Lions skipper proved his people successful the 2nd period, redeeming his squad from what would person been a disastrous exit.

ENGLAND VS. CONGO DR MATCH STATS

Possession: England 60%-40% Congo DR

Shots: England 16-7 Congo DR

Shots connected target: England 7-2 Congo DR

Corners: England 5-3 Congo DR

Fouls: England 10-12 Congo DR

BEST STATS

Harry Kane has conscionable passed Pelé successful World Cup goals (12) and is present level with Just Fontaine (13). ???????? https://t.co/lKieTvImaI pic.twitter.com/fPGJuNWxDt

WHAT NEXT?

England volition march into the circular of 16, with Mexico their opponents at Estadio Azteca connected Sunday, up of a imaginable quarter-final against Brazil.

Congo DR, meanwhile, tin look backmost connected an fantabulous World Cup and volition soon statesman their preparations for their Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, which starts against Equatorial Guinea connected September 23.