Harry Kane double sends England past DR Congo, sets up Mexico clash

Harry Kane dragged England back from the edge in Atlanta, scoring in the 75th and 86th minutes to overturn Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute opener and seal a 2-1 win over DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The comeback sent England into the round of 16 for a third consecutive World Cup, but it also exposed how fragile Thomas Tuchel’s side can look when forced to chase.

England did not dominate this one from the start. DR Congo, one of the better third-place finishers from the group stage after taking four points in Group K, struck first and made England work for every inch of ground. Tuchel had warned before kickoff that DR Congo would be a dangerous opponent, and the first-half script backed that up as England spent much of the night trying to reset after Cipenga’s early finish.

Kane’s brace changed everything, and it also changed the tournament record book. The England captain reached 13 World Cup goals, moving past Pelé on the competition’s all-time scoring list. His equalizer steadied the side and his second goal, nine minutes from time, completed the turnaround that spared England from a far more damaging result.

The selection choices told their own story. Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke both started, Bukayo Saka continued managing his fitness, and Declan Rice returned to the side after being rested in the previous match. England advanced, but the shape of the performance suggested a team still searching for control, especially in the opening phase and after conceding first.

That is the warning sign for Mexico, who will meet England in Mexico City after both sides survived dramatic knockout matches. England’s route forward now depends on whether Tuchel can tighten the spaces that DR Congo found so easily in Atlanta. If Mexico can press that same vulnerability, Kane may again be asked to rescue a game England should have handled earlier.