England secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coming from behind to defeat DR Congo 2-1 in their Round of 32 clash on Wednesday in Atlanta.
The Three Lions were stunned early in the contest when Brian Cipenga fired DR Congo ahead in the seventh minute, putting the African side on course for a famous upset. England dominated possession for long spells and created several chances, but were repeatedly frustrated by Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, while Yoane Wissa also came close to doubling DR Congo’s lead before the break.
With time running out, England captain Harry Kane stepped up to rescue his side. The striker headed home Anthony Gordon’s cross in the 75th minute to restore parity before completing the turnaround in the 86th minute with a powerful finish to seal the win for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
The result sent England into the Round of 16, where they will face co-hosts Mexico for a place in the quarter-finals. Kane’s brace also underlined his importance to the Three Lions, as England survived a major scare to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
