ATLANTA — England advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday evening after captain Harry Kane scored two late goals to secure a 2-1 comeback victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Atlanta Stadium.
The European side trailed the underdogs for 68 minutes of the match before the veteran forward intervened twice in the final quarter of regulation time. The result prevents an early elimination for manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad, booking a round-of-16 fixture against tournament co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday.
DR Congo established an unexpected advantage in the seventh minute of play through winger Brian Cipenga. Cipenga capitalized on a crossfield pass flicked on by defender Chancel Mbemba, firing a low shot past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at the near post.
England struggled to break down a resilient Congolese defensive line throughout the first half, denied repeatedly by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. Mpasi produced multiple saves to thwart close-range headers from midfielder Jude Bellingham, while defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared a Marcus Rashford shot off the goal line. DR Congo nearly doubled its lead shortly before halftime when forward Yoane Wissa struck the post from close range.
Tuchel initiated a double substitution in the 60th minute, introducing wingers Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon to revitalize the English attack. The tactical adjustment proved decisive as Gordon directly assisted both scoring plays.
The equalizer arrived in the 75th minute when Gordon delivered a lofted cross from the left wing, allowing Kane to find space and power a downward header past Mpasi. The English captain secured the winning goal in the 86th minute after receiving a pass from Gordon at the edge of the penalty area, spinning away from his marker to strike a right-footed shot into the top corner of the net.
The brace marks Kane’s fourth and fifth goals of the current tournament, bringing his career total to 19 goals across major international tournaments. DR Congo mounted a final attack in stoppage time, but Wissa sent a free kick over the crossbar to conclude the match.
If you would like to follow this tournament path further, I can provide the detailed player ratings from Atlanta, updates on England’s defensive injuries, or an analysis of the upcoming Round of 16 tactical matchupagainst Mexico.
