England 2-1 DR Congo player ratings: Sensational Harry Kane inspires Three Lions into World Cup Round of 16

England kept their 2026 World Cup imagination live arsenic they came from down to bushed DR Congo 2-1 astatine Atlanta Stadium connected Tuesday and publication their spot successful the Round of 16.

The African federation stunned Thomas Tuchel's broadside erstwhile Brian Cipenga struck wrong the opening 8 minutes, earlier producing a disciplined antiaircraft show that frustrated England for overmuch of the contest.

However, 2 moments of sheer brilliance from skipper Harry Kane yet broke DR Congo's absorption and sent the Three Lions into the adjacent round.

Here, Sports Mole provides subordinate ratings from the World Cup Round of 32 clash.

England subordinate ratings vs. DR Congo: The Harry Kane show

GOALKEEPER

Jordan Pickford - 6/10

The Everton goalkeeper had small to bash passim the game, but a subordinate of his prime should not person been beaten astatine his adjacent station for DR Congo's opener.

DEFENCE

Djed Spence - 5/10

The show encapsulated wherefore galore presumption Spence arsenic England's weakest link, though helium was not helped by Noni Madueke's deficiency of tendency to way back. That said, speech from a fewer galloping runs forward, helium struggled defensively against DR Congo's attackers.

Ezri Konsa - 7/10

Solid and ever reliable astatine the back, the Aston Villa centre-back made respective important clearances precocious connected arsenic DR Congo pushed for an equaliser.

Marc Guehi - 8/10

Arguably the amended of the two, Guehi not lone won his duels, but produced 1 terrific interception astir from the mediate of the pitch, which if had mistimed, could person led to a unsafe Congo attack. 

Nico O'Reilly - 6/10

A subdued show from the Manchester City full-back, who seldom provided width oregon attacking impetus down the left, though his operation play improved aft Anthony Gordon came on.

MIDFIELD

Elliot Anderson - 8/10

One lone needed to ticker Anderson successful isolation to recognize wherefore Manchester City are prepared to wage specified an bonzer interest for his signature. From helping retired heavy successful defence to threading incisive done balls, the midfielder delivered an outstanding show that volition astir apt spell mostly unnoticed.

Declan Rice - 8/10

Rice could easy person finished with an assistance had Jude Bellingham's header recovered the net. Like Anderson, helium was everywhere, and astatine times did a amended antiaircraft occupation astatine right-back than Spence.

ATTACK

Noni Madueke - 6/10

There were moments erstwhile Madueke looked a people apart, producing respective unsafe crosses and driving past defenders to prime retired a achromatic garment wrong the box. However, his antiaircraft publication was virtually non-existent, leaving Spence isolated, portion helium besides slowed down respective counter-attacks erstwhile England needed greater gait to unlock the DR Congo defence.

Jude Bellingham - 8/10

Bellingham produced different high-quality performance, though this clip determination was nary extremity oregon assistance to amusement for it. He came adjacent with a header successful the archetypal fractional earlier forcing Dimitry Mpasi into an fantabulous prevention with a fierce effort aft the break.

Marcus Rashford - 6/10

Rashford saw an effort cleared disconnected the enactment and, connected respective occasions, tried to marque things hap with his nonstop running. However, the link-up play with his chap attackers was lacking.

Harry Kane - 9.5/10

Man of the Match, without a shadiness of a doubt. When England desperately needed a spark, their skipper stepped up erstwhile again. His intelligent question and superb header brought the equaliser earlier a thunderous right-footed decorativeness from wrong the container sealed England's spot successful the Round of 16.

SUBSTITUTES

Eberechi Eze- 6/10

The Arsenal attacker replaced Spence successful a tactical power successful the 70th minute, and portion helium was progressive successful astute link-up plays, the interaction was minimal. 

Anthony Gordon - 8/10

A super-sub successful the truest sense. He played a cardinal relation successful some of England's goals. It was his inviting transportation that Kane headed location for the equaliser, earlier helium picked retired the skipper again with the decisive walk for England's winner.

Bukayo Saka - 7/10

He surely made a greater interaction than Madueke. Saka and Gordon stretched the play superbly down the flanks, creating much abstraction for the likes of Anderson, Kane and Bellingham to run successful the last third.

John Stones - NA

Brought successful with lone fewer minutes near connected the clock.

DR Congo subordinate ratings vs. England: Mpasi wins heart 

GOALKEEPER

Lionnel Mpasi - 9/10

At 1 stage, it seemed arsenic though Mpasi had made a committedness to himself that thing would get past him. He produced a drawstring of outstanding saves passim the crippled to support DR Congo's hopes alive. A magnificent show that deserves immense respect.

DEFENCE

Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7/10

Produced a superb last-ditch goal-line clearance to contradict his erstwhile nine teammate Rashford. Going forward, helium besides delivered a superb transverse from which Yoane Wissa came adjacent to scoring.

Chancel Mbemba - 8/10

What a performance! Congo were expected to support heavy successful debased artifact acceptable up, and Mbemba led by example, by making arsenic galore arsenic 9 clearances. 

Axel Tuanzebe - 7/10

A terrific antiaircraft show from the erstwhile Man Utd player, who, alongside Chancel Mbemba, threw his assemblage connected the enactment to forestall what looked similar definite goals successful the archetypal half.

Arthur Masuaku - 6/10

The Sunderland full-back made respective fantabulous tackles but offered small attacking impetus, spending astir of the crippled focused connected his antiaircraft duties.

MIDFIELD

Ngal'ayel Mukau - 6/10

When teams play a debased block, and the midfielders bash not bask the licence to spell forward, they are mostly near with broadside ways and backward passing. 

Samuel Moutoussamy - 7/10

The astir eye-catching show of each the Congo midfielders, arsenic helium was the 1 who was consenting to play the forward, and similar Anderson, enactment successful a batch of antiaircraft shifts arsenic well. 

Noah Sadiki - 6/10

Booked successful the 23rd infinitesimal astir apt stopped Sadiki from being adventurous, but helium did effort to bring the attackers into play with immoderate bully speedy passes to the flanks. 

ATTACK

Nathanael Mbuku - 6/10

Mbuku had a sniff astatine extremity earlier helium was taken off, and that was the lone effort helium made each day. Apart from aiming astatine crosses from distance, determination was small from him. 

Yoane Wissa - 7/10

Wissa embodied DR Congo's 'what if' moment. He failed to marque cleanable interaction with Wan-Bissaka's superb cross, and his effort kissed the extracurricular of the post. Had that accidental gone in, England would person trailed 2-0 earlier half-time, and the result of the lucifer could person been precise different.

Brian Cipenga - 8/10

Scored an outstanding extremity successful the archetypal fractional to support Congo infront, and each clip helium took the shot successful the absorption half, England defence panicked. 

SUBSTITUTES

Joris Kayembe - NA

Joined with fewer minutes near connected the watch. 

Fiston Mayele - NA

Copy paste. 

Edo Kayembe - 6/10

Brought successful aft England equalised, but could not dictate the strength arsenic England dominated the proceedings. 

Theo Bongonda - 6/10

Same arsenic above. The substitutions did not enactment arsenic Congo had expected. 

Meschak Elia - 5/10

Did Sebastien Desabre marque a mistake by taking disconnected Mbuku? Elia struggled to marque immoderate meaningful interaction aft coming on, and the substitution yet failed to nutrient the desired effect.