England 2-1 DR Congo: Harry Kane rescues Three Lions from disaster

England left it late in Atlanta (Picture: Getty) Harry Kane scored two late goals for England as they beat DR Congo 2-1 and avoided a nightmare World Cup exit in Atlanta. It was an incredibly tense match as Thomas Tuchel’s side toiled for large parts of it, falling behind early and floundering under pressure.

Brian Cipenga put the underdogs ahead, striding into a huge amount of space on the left and firing past Jordan Pickford at his near post after just seven minutes. The Three Lions were all over the place before the first hydration break, but did improve after that and forced goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi into a string of top saves.

The second half was playing out terribly for England as they struggled to create much at all and their forwards looked out of ideas. However, the hydration break again helped them and substitute Anthony Gordon made an impact. The new Barcelona man found Kane with a cross from the left and the captain nodded in the equaliser with 15 minutes to play.

Kane took his goal tally to five for the tournament (Picture: Getty Images) Kane then received the ball from Gordon on 86 minutes, danced away from a couple of defenders on the edge of the box before hammering a brilliant effort into the roof of the net from a tricky angle. DR Congo hearts were broken and England make it into the last 16 where they will take on Mexico at the Azteca.

They got the result they needed but the Three Lions looked nothing like a team ready to win the World Cup. With Harry Kane, though, they always have a chance in any match. ‘We’re in the part of the tournament where you have to grind wins out and that’s what we’ve done today,’ said the match-winner.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 7:02 pm England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh As tense a match as you will see as an England fan but Harry Kane has saved the day for the Three Lions.Mexico await in the last 16. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 7:00 pm Full time! England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh It’s over. England progress! Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 7:00 pm 90+7 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Wissa takes it and it’s over the bar.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:59 pm 90+6 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Bellingham knocks over Wissa and DR Congo may have their last chance here with a free-kick just over 20 yards out centrally. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:57 pm 90+4 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Not really what England hoped to be doing at the start of the game but Anderson takes the ball into the corner to run down the clock. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:56 pm 90+3 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Guehi wins a free-kick while defending a cross. Bit fortunate but England will be thrilled. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:55 pm 90+2 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh DR Congo are trying to conjure something up but a deep cross from the left floats straight out of play

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:54 pm 90+2 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo – Subs Phil Haigh John Stones replaces an exhausted Declan Rice Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:54 pm 90+1 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Six minutes added time here

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:53 pm 90 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Kane fancies the hat-trick as he shoots from all of 35 yards. Well over. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:53 pm 89 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo – Subs Phil Haigh Wissa and Masuaku off for DR Congo, on come Kayembe and Mayele Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:52 pm 88 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Huge impact from Gordon with two assists off the bench. Eze has also been good since coming on. Kane the hero though. Incredible.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:49 pm 86 mins: England 2-1 DR Congo – GOAL KANE Phil Haigh It’s Harry Kane again!Wow! Kane fires his second past Mpasi.Bellingham’s effort was blocked, Gordon gets on the ball just outside the box and plays it into Kane in the D. He skips away from two defenders and hammers an effort into the roof of the net from a difficult angle. Brilliant!

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:49 pm 86 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Elia has a pop from the edge of the box but it’s straight at Pickford.England break and Bellingham bursts into the box on the left but his shot is saved.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:48 pm 85 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Anderson plays in Kane who is well marshalled by Tuanzebe.Back to Anderson who whips one in towards Gordon but his header is poor. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:47 pm 84 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh This is anything but England terrorising DR Congo now. They do look more dangerous, but DR Congo are still posing a threat and have attacking intent. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:45 pm 82 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Some decent link-up play at pace from Eze and Saka on the right. Not seen much of that today. Saka’s cross is cleared. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:45 pm 81 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Gordon has made a difference since coming on but then a run comically comes to an end as he asks for a foul for nothing at all.Bellingham down that left side now gets a good low cross in but it’s cleared.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:43 pm 79 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Rice is doing a lot of work today, defends well at right-back against a break. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:42 pm 78 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh England looking brighter now, pushing for a second. Less edginess about the place. Anderson tries to curl one into the top corner but it’s over. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:40 pm 76 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo – Subs Phil Haigh Cipenga and Mukau off for DR Congo and Bongonda and Kayembe on Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:38 pm 75 mins: England 1-1 DR Congo – GOAL KANE Phil Haigh HARRY KANE EQUALISES!It had to be the captain. Rice, who is everywhere now, got to the byline on the right and his ball across found Gordon on the left of the box. He puts in a very accurate cross onto the head of Kane who finds the net.Mpasi nearly saved that one! But couldn’t quite keep it out.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:36 pm 74 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Bellingham finds himself on the left wing and trying to put a cross in but it is terrible. Too long. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:36 pm 73 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Rice’s ball is good but well defender. Eze wins a free-kick on the right flank which Rice is coming over to take. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:35 pm 72 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Well defended at the back stick by Wan-Bissaka as Gordon jumped for a header. Corner for Rice to take from the left. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:34 pm 71 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh It looks like Rice in at right-back and Eze into midfield.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:34 pm 71 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo – Sub Phil Haigh Eze on for Spence Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:33 pm 70 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Thomas Tuchel is energetically delivering a message to his players. Can it translate? England have looked so flat despite their desperate situation.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:31 pm 68 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo – HYDRATION BREAK Phil Haigh Drinks again and England need this to change the game again because it is BAD right now. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:30 pm 67 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Konsa lucky not to be booked there as he blocks off Wissa on a break down the left Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:28 pm 65 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Elia lively straight away as he gives O’Reilly a scare chasing a ball down the right. The England man wins a free-kick though.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:27 pm 64 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo – Subs Phil Haigh Mbuku off for DR Congo, on comes Elia of Turkish side Alanyaspor Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:26 pm 63 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Mbuku gets a left-footed shot off after a short-corner and it’s deflected over for another corner. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:26 pm 63 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh DR Congo are still getting forward when they can and they do down the right. A cross is blocked and it’s a corner.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:25 pm 61 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Gordon and Saka have their chance to shine now, which neither have really managed to do during the tournament so far. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:24 pm 60 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo – Subs Phil Haigh Bukayo Saka is coming on for Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon replaces Marcus Rashford Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:23 pm 59 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh This is getting more and more nightmarish for England. Goalkeeper having the match of his life. Terrible old habits are setting in now as they look very short of ideas.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:20 pm 57 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh It’s all gone very, very slow. DR Congo lined up comfortably, England knocking it about in front of them. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:19 pm 56 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh The England fans are very nervy, it is not noisy at all in there. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:17 pm 54 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Rashford has another go, this time with his head after a cross from Madueke. Fought well to get to the ball but it was a difficult chance and it goes high and wide.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:16 pm 53 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Another big save from Mpasi as he keeps out a deflected cross from Bellingham. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:15 pm 51 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Rice’s corner was poor and DR Congo break after a crunching challenge between Spence and Wissa. England break back through Rashford who has a good chance coming into the box from the left but he hits the side netting.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:13 pm 50 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Rice takes the corner from the right this time. The ref blows the whistle after the jostling in the box. Rice will get another go. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:13 pm 50 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Corner for England is swung in from the left by Rice. This is a good one but Masuaku defends well and nods behind. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

July 1, 2026 6:12 pm 49 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Noni Madueke appears to be in some pain, he’s moving gingerly on the right flank. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:11 pm 48 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh Decent pressure from England, forcing a mistake as Anderson robs Masuaku, but his ball to Bellingham is poor and it’s a goal-kick.

Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:09 pm 46 mins: England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh DR Congo with the first attack of the second half, but the ball in from the right is cleared. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google

Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:08 pm Kick-off! England 0-1 DR Congo Phil Haigh We’re back underway in Atlanta. Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source July 1, 2026 6:07 pm Back come the players Phil Haigh The players return to the pitch and there appear to be no changes.