Kane double lifts England past DR Congo, sets up Mexico tie

Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes to drag England past DR Congo 2-1 in Atlanta, turning a night that had looked uneasy for long stretches into a place in the World Cup last 16. Brian Cipenga had put DR Congo ahead in the seventh minute, and England did not level until Kane struck in the 75th minute before finishing the comeback in the 86th.

The result sent England into the round of 16 for the third successive World Cup, but it also underlined how hard they had to work against a DR Congo side playing in the first knockout-stage match in its World Cup history. The match, played on 1 July 2026 at Atlanta Stadium, also known as Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was refereed by Adham Mohammad Tumah Makhadmeh. England and DR Congo had never met before this tournament, and the opening stages gave the contest the feel of a first encounter in every sense.

England’s route through the game depended on patience and late precision rather than early control. Thomas Tuchel’s side entered the match unbeaten in 11 competitive games under the England manager, with FIFA listing that run at 10 wins and one draw before kickoff. That record survived, but only after England spent most of the evening chasing a deficit that forced the attack to stay composed under pressure.

Kane’s double also pushed him to 11 World Cup goals, making him England’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament, according to England Football. The finish was the most decisive part of a night when England needed answers from its captain and got them only after DR Congo had already tested the team’s nerve for nearly 70 minutes.

England now moves on to a last-16 meeting with Mexico at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City after the co-hosts beat Ecuador 2-0 to advance. FIFA noted that England’s previous World Cup knockout wins over African opponents came against Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2022, a small but pointed historical marker after another tense passage through the bracket. The scoreline was narrow, the route was messy, and England still escaped with its tournament intact.