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England were on the cusp of one of the biggest World Cup upsets in recent memory – until the heart and soul of the program was more than clutch.
Trailing for most of the match, Harry Kane scored both England goals in the final 21 minutes of the match to advance to the knockout stages with a 2-1 victory over DR Congo.
Brian Cipenga had given Congo a surprising lead after scoring in the seventh minute of the match, and his defense kept England at bay throughout the hydration break of the second half.
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Harry Kane of England celebrates in front of fans after his victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between England and DR Congo at Atlanta Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images)
But then England’s all-time top scorer leveled the score with a 75th-minute header from Anthony Gordon’s cross, despite goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi’s handball. Eleven minutes later, Kane scored the decisive goal after eluding defenders and letting one rip with his right foot and finding the top right corner.
The goals were Kane’s 83rd and 84th for England, extending his country’s record, in his 118th match. In the World Cup, he now has 13 goals, surpassing Pelé’s 12, in 16 matches played. He found the net five times in four matches in this tournament.
Harry Kane of England celebrates scoring the team’s first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between England and DR Congo at Atlanta Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images)
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“It was just a matter of pounding the rock, keeping pounding the rock and our time would come,” Kane said. “We talked about people having hero moments. It could be anyone on the team… Whoever it is, we have hero moments, and for me, that was that day.”
England had previously won only one World Cup match after conceding the first goal, and that came in the 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley Stadium.
DR Congo entered the match as 12-1 underdogs against a team that has qualified at least for the round of 16 in six of the last seven World Cups. England were eliminated in the quarter-finals in Qatar and finished fourth in 2018 in Russia.
England now face a daunting task, taking on Mexico on home soil in Mexico City on Sunday.
Harry Kane of England is seen at full time during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between England and DR Congo at Atlanta Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images)
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The United States could meet England in the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey – but of course, a lot would have to go right.
