Kane double fires England to comeback win over DR Congo at World Cup 2026

England past immense scare against DR Congo to triumph 2-1 and acceptable up past 16 clash with cohosts Mexico.

Harry Kane rescued England from a seismic World Cup daze with 2 precocious goals to bushed the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 successful Atlanta and unafraid a spot successful the past 16.

Aiming to extremity a 60-year hold to triumph a large tournament, Thomas Tuchel’s men escaped humiliation and 1 of England’s worst-ever World Cup exits connected Wednesday acknowledgment to their talismanic skipper aft Brian Cipenga’s aboriginal extremity gave DR Congo an aboriginal lead.

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But the Three Lions volition request to amended for the daunting task of facing cohosts Mexico astatine the Estadio Azteca successful the past 16 connected Sunday

Already England’s all-time apical goalscorer successful the competition, Kane present has 13 World Cup goals and moves onto 5 for the tourney to stay successful the star-studded conflict for the Golden Boot.

Defeat ended DR Congo’s fairytale tally connected their instrumentality to the World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 52 years.

The Leopards had ne'er adjacent won a constituent oregon scored a extremity astatine the World Cup until a fewer weeks ago, but had 1 of the tourney favourites teetering connected the brink of elimination.

Tuchel made 2 changes from the triumph implicit Panama arsenic Declan Rice returned successful midfield, portion Djed Spence came successful astatine right-back with Reece James and Jarell Quansah some ruled retired done injury.

The German coach’s determination not to prime much specializer right-back screen successful a 26-man squad volition look much scrutiny aft DR Congo took the pb down that flank.

Spence was caught nether Chancel Mbemba’s transverse arsenic the shot fell for Cipenga. The Almeria winger’s changeable was debased and hard, but Jordan Pickford should inactive person kept it retired astatine his adjacent post.

The immense bulk of the astir 70,000 assemblage decked retired successful England reddish and achromatic were silenced, portion Tuchel’s players were visibly rattled.

Cipenga gives DR Congo an aboriginal pb [Claudia Greco/Reuters]

Jude Bellingham was shown a yellowish paper for a lunge and was past progressive successful a heated speech with his manager during the mid-half hydration break.

The stoppage successful play astatine slightest allowed Tuchel the accidental to reconstruct order.

Bellingham’s almighty header from Rice’s transverse yet forced DR Congo keeper Lionel Mpasi into action.

Moments aboriginal Marcus Rashford’s almighty effort was blocked connected the enactment by London-born Aaron Wan-Bissaka aft Noni Madueke’s jinking tally opened up the DR Congo defence.

Yet it could person been adjacent worse for England astatine the break.

Yoane Wissa’s 3 goals successful the radical signifier fired his state to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the archetypal time, and the Newcastle striker had a aureate accidental to treble the DR Congo pb but deed the extracurricular of the station from point-blank range.

At the different end, Kane was furious erstwhile helium went down arsenic helium tried to circular Mpasi, but the referee refused to constituent to the spot.

Le Harve stopper Mpasi’s inspired day continued arsenic helium flew to his close to parry different slug header from Bellingham and past denied Kane from a country with the past enactment of the archetypal half.

After a agleam commencement to the 2nd period, England were opening to tally retired of ideas until Tuchel unloaded his violative weapons disconnected the bench.

Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze were sent connected by Tuchel successful hunt of an equaliser.

And it was caller Barcelona-signing Gordon who provided the transverse arsenic Kane yet recovered a mode past Mpasi with a downward header 15 minutes from time.

Gordon besides got the assistance for the 86th-minute winner, but Kane did the hard enactment arsenic helium rifled a almighty thrust into the extortion of the nett for his 84th planetary goal.

Tuchel told reporters that his broadside had “kept believing” to unafraid a deserved victory.

“We person to person that mindset. If it is getting hard, don’t suffer patience, don’t suffer belief,” helium said.

“It was unthinkable the benignant of saves [Mpasi] had, but afloat recognition to the mindset the [England] players showed.”

Kane said DR Congo were a pugnacious squad and singled retired the “incredible” Mpasi for praise.

“You person to enactment diligent successful these games. The past mates of games were precise similar. In knockout football, the unit and stakes are higher,” helium said.

“It was astir apt our champion crippled of the tourney truthful far. This 1 and the adjacent 1 volition beryllium hard games. [Next we are] distant successful Mexico against Mexico. We are successful the portion of the tourney wherever we person to grind retired results.”