England advanced to the World Cup round of 16 after a challenging 2-1 victory over DR Congo on Wednesday night. The match, played in Atlanta, saw England recover from an early deficit, with Harry Kane scoring both goals to secure their progression in the tournament.
DR Congo, despite the defeat, earned recognition for their performance, having pushed one of the tournament favourites to their limits. The Leopards surprised many by taking the lead against pre-match predictions.
Early Setback and DR Congo’s Strong Start
The opening goal came when Brian Cipenga capitalised on a deep cross from the right, finding space at the far post. He took a touch before striking a low shot into the bottom-left corner, beating Jordan Pickford at his near post and sending the DR Congo supporters into celebration. Cipenga marked the goal with a somersault.
England’s initial attempts to equalise were thwarted. Around the half-hour mark, Declan Rice delivered a cross that Jude Bellingham headed towards the top-right corner, but Lionel Mpasi produced a one-handed save to deny him. Soon after, Noni Madueke set up Marcus Rashford, whose close-range effort was cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
DR Congo nearly extended their lead before half-time when Wan-Bissaka’s cross found Yoane Wissa, whose first-time shot hit the base of the post. England also had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Adham Makhadmeh after Kane went down in the box, with VAR agreeing that Kane had exaggerated the fall.
During the first hydration break, Reece James was seen speaking with Bellingham. Pickford also reportedly told his teammates to calm down after smacking a pass out of play. The first half saw England’s players arguing among themselves, with Rice expressing frustration after the goal. Elliot Anderson was described as being out of position in midfield, and Rashford was noted for letting a ball run out of play and failing to track back.
Thomas Tuchel, England’s coach, appeared increasingly agitated as the second half progressed without an equaliser. Mpasi continued to be a formidable presence in goal, making several outstanding saves to maintain DR Congo’s slender advantage.
Kane’s Double Secures Victory
The breakthrough for England came in the 75th minute when Kane drifted away from his marker to meet Anthony Gordon’s floated cross, guiding a header past Mpasi. This goal involved two substitutes and a player moved to an unfamiliar position, following Tuchel’s tactical adjustments.
Kane then scored the decisive goal with less than five minutes remaining in regular time. He took a touch to move the ball away from Axel Tuanzebe before unleashing a right-footed shot that found the roof of the net, securing England’s comeback victory.
The match highlighted areas for England to address, particularly their performance in the first half. Despite the win, the team has not produced a complete performance in their initial four games, appearing tired and unbalanced at times. The focus will now shift to their next fixture, where they will face Mexico in Mexico City on Sunday night.
The composure shown by Tuchel during the hydration break, where he made tactical adjustments, was noted as crucial. His assistant, Anthony Barry, emphasised the importance of England sticking to their processes during his half-time interview, advising against gung-ho football. Gordon, who had struggled in earlier group stage matches against Ghana and Croatia, contributed two assists in this game, including the pass that led to Kane’s winning goal in the 86th minute.
England’s defence remains a concern, with Djed Spence not appearing to be the solution at right-back. The team will need to resolve these issues as they prepare for their upcoming match.
The match was played on Wednesday night, July 1, 2026.
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Source: thehindu.com
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter