England and DR Congo make World Cup history with landmark results

England delivered the expected result in Dallas, but DR Congo produced the more historically meaningful moment in Houston. Harry Kane scored twice as England beat Croatia 4-2 in the opening Group L match at Dallas Stadium, while Yoane Wissa’s stoppage-time equalizer gave DR Congo a 1-1 draw with Portugal and a first point on the World Cup stage.

England’s win had the feel of a team meeting its obligations rather than shocking the tournament. Kane’s brace set the tone, and second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford sealed the result against Croatia. FIFA named Kane the Player of the Match, a fitting reward for the captain, whose World Cup reputation continues to be measured not just in victories but in the pursuit of major scoring marks.

The contrast in Houston carried a different kind of weight. Wissa struck in first-half stoppage time, at 45+5, to level the match against Portugal and score Congo DR’s first goal in World Cup history. That single moment also produced the first point ever earned by Congo DR at a World Cup, turning a draw into a national milestone for the Leopards. The team’s breakthrough came with Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe, Cédric Bakambu and Wissa among the names identified in the buildup as central to the side’s hopes.

The significance of the result reaches beyond one group table. FIFA has framed Congo DR’s qualification for the 2026 tournament as a landmark 52 years after the country’s only previous World Cup appearance, a reminder of how rarely some nations are given repeated chances on football’s biggest stage. In a tournament that is already historic as the 23rd edition and the first with 48 teams and three host nations, Canada, Mexico and the United States, Congo DR’s point showed that expansion is not just about scale. It is about access, visibility and the chance for emerging teams to redefine success in real time.

For England, June 17 brought a familiar script of power and expectation. For Congo DR, it became a day that changed the country’s World Cup story forever.