By Daniel Akinte
The Three Lions were stunned inside seven minutes when Brian Cipenga punished a defensive lapse to give DR Congo a dream start in their first-ever World Cup knockout match. The early goal exposed England’s shaky defending and forced Thomas Tuchel’s side onto the front foot for the remainder of the contest.
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The African side almost doubled their lead before halftime when Yoane Wissa struck the post, leaving England relieved to trail by only one goal at the break.
Tuchel’s substitutions eventually changed the game’s momentum. Anthony Gordon made an immediate impact, delivering a pinpoint cross for Kane to power home a header in the 75th minute and restore parity.
With extra time looming, England’s captain produced the decisive moment. Kane created space inside a crowded penalty area before unleashing a fierce strike into the roof of the net in the 86th minute, completing a dramatic turnaround and keeping England’s World Cup hopes alive.
Despite the victory, England’s performance exposed defensive frailties that Tuchel will hope to address before the last-16 clash with Mexico. Defensive lapses allowed DR Congo to threaten on the counterattack, while the Three Lions needed patience and persistence to break down their disciplined opponents.
After the match, Tuchel praised his captain for once again rising to the occasion.
“Difficult matches, close matches – Harry’s here to decide them,” the England manager said. “We kept believing, kept creating chances and found a deserved way to win.”
“It feels amazing. They were tough and organised, but we stayed patient. We knew the chances would come,” he said. “At this stage of the tournament, sometimes you have to grind out victories, and that’s exactly what we did.”
England now turn their attention to a high-profile last-16 meeting with Mexico, while DR Congo exit the competition after producing a courageous display that pushed one of the tournament favourites to the limit.
