England secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup at Atlanta Stadium, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice in the second half to overturn a first-half deficit. The win sets up a last-16 clash against co-hosts Mexico.
First-half struggles for England
DR Congo took the lead in the first half through Brian Cipenga, who beat England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after a quick counter-attack. Cipenga, who had earlier unleashed a shot towards Pickford's near post, celebrated with arms outstretched as the underdogs stunned the English side. England struggled to break down a resilient DR Congo defense, with Jude Bellingham coming closest to equalizing when his header from a Declan Rice cross was saved by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. Marcus Rashford also had a shot blocked on the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka. England manager Thomas Tuchel was seen gesticulating during the first-half hydration break as his team trailed 1-0 at halftime.
Kane's double secures victory
England continued to push for an equalizer in the second half, with Rashford shooting wide and Bellingham again denied by Mpasi. In the 75th minute, Kane rose to head home a cross, sparking celebrations from the England fans. Just 11 minutes later, Kane struck again with a powerful strike, performing a knee slide while Anthony Gordon covered his face in disbelief. Bellingham was the first to congratulate him, and the team piled on in celebration. The fans, who had gathered outside the stadium before the match, looked delighted as England secured a late victory.
Key moments and statistics
DR Congo's Yoane Wissa, who has three goals in the tournament, was a constant threat, getting ahead of Ezri Konsa in the first half. England's Harry Kane was involved in a controversial moment when he crashed to the turf after being clipped by the goalkeeper, but referee Adham Mohammad ruled that Kane ran into Mpasi, and VAR declined to intervene. Kane's two goals took his tournament tally to five, and he now leads the race for the Golden Boot. England will face Mexico in the last 16, with the match scheduled to take place at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
