Kane's late heroics secure England's place in last 16
Harry Kane struck twice late on against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to send England into the last 16 of the World Cup after Thomas Tuchel's side had flirted with an ignominious exit for much of the encounter in Atlanta.
Brian Cipenga had stunned England with a seventh-minute strike that caught Jordan Pickford out at his near post, but Kane came to the rescue with a 75th-minute header and a fierce strike into the roof of the net with four minutes of normal time remaining.
England struggle in first half
England had struggled badly in the opening 20 minutes, with Jude Bellingham picking up a yellow card for a late tackle as frustration boiled over. The first hydration break provided some respite and England composed themselves, with Bellingham testing the DRC goalkeeper, Lionel Mpasi, with a header before Marcus Rashford had a shot cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
England survived a big scare when Yoane Wissa hit the post with the goal at his mercy, after a deflected Wan-Bissaka cross fell to him in the six-yard box.
Penalty appeals denied and Mpasi impresses
Moments later England were denied a penalty when Kane went down in the area as he took the ball around Mpasi, but the Jordanian referee, Adham Makhadmeh, waved away the vociferous appeals from England's captain. There was contact but Kane was falling before impact.
Soon after Mpasi made a stunning save from a glancing Bellingham header and there was still time before the interval for the keeper to make another solid save after Kane met a Rice corner with a firm strike. Mpasi, second choice at his club, Le Havre, was on a one-man mission to deny the Three Lions. As England's assistant coach Anthony Barry said in his half-time interview: 'The goalkeeper is man of the match so far.'
Second half pressure and Tuchel's changes
England continued to threaten after the break, with Rashford hitting the side netting after a run down the left before Mpasi clawed away a deflected Bellingham strike.
Tuchel changed his wingers on the hour mark, with Bukayo Saka replacing his club-mate Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon coming on for Rashford. Eberechi Eze replaced Djed Spence in the second hydration break as the England manager tried to change the increasingly desperate picture.
Kane's decisive double
Gordon played his part in finally making the breakthrough as his lobbed cross from the left was headed in by Kane, with Mpasi unable to keep out the effort despite getting a hand to it.
Mpasi was then given no chance with Kane's second, as his rocket of a shot from just inside the area set up a clash with the co-hosts Mexico in the Azteca Stadium in a 1am kick-off on Monday UK time.
