England vs Democratic Republic of the Congo, FIFA World Cup match result: Harry Kane saves a late brace to send England into the round of 16

England survived one of the biggest scares of the 2026 World Cup after Harry Kane scored twice in the last 15 minutes to complete a dramatic 2-1 comeback against DR Congo in the round of 32 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Brian Sebenga’s early goal threatened one of the biggest upsets of the tournament before Kane’s late intervention kept Thomas Tuchel’s side going and booked a place in the last 16 against hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca.For much of the evening, England looked destined for an embarrassing early exit. DR Congo defended with discipline, attacked with conviction and frustrated one of the tournament favorites for more than an hour.

England eventually prevailed through sustained pressure, but only after surviving a tense 75 minutes in which the African side looked capable of securing a result that would have reverberated throughout the World Cup.

DR Congo stunned England with a brave first-half performance

England entered the knockout stage as favorites after passing the group stage, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo showed from the first whistle that they did not travel to Atlanta just to make up the numbers.

The underdogs remained composed without the ball as they surged forward whenever the ball changed hands, refusing to let England’s midfield dictate their tempo despite the Three Lions eventually finishing the game with 54 per cent possession and an impressive 92 per cent passing accuracy.The breakthrough came after just seven minutes and exposed England’s defensive uncertainty. Chancel Mbemba reacted quickest to collect the ball in his own half before immediately running forward and shooting the ball in from the right.

As England’s backline struggled to regain its shape, Mbemba sent a dangerous low cross into the box. Brian Sebenga anticipated the pass perfectly, drifting between defenders before taking a calm touch and shooting a low shot beyond Jordan Pickford to silence the English fans.

The goal changed the format of the competition. England monopolized the ball but found themselves frequently frustrated by the DRC’s organized defensive block.

Lionel Mbasi produced an exceptional first-half performance, controlling his area with confidence while repeatedly denying England shots from close range. Harry Kane thought he had been awarded a penalty after going down under pressure inside the box, but the referee rejected the appeals and the VAR upheld the decision on the pitch, leaving Tuchel visibly frustrated on the touchline with England trailing at the break.

England increases pressure as DRC refuses to surrender

England came back after the start of the second half with greater strength, as they imposed control over the Democratic Republic of Congo inside their own half for long periods.

The statistics increasingly reflected England’s control on the ground, as they finished the match with 16 shots, eight of which were blocked, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo managed seven attempts, including two on goal. But despite England’s offensive volume, the DRC continued to defend with remarkable commitment.

Mbasi remained in control throughout the second half, repeatedly frustrating England’s attackers as wave after wave of attacks arrived.

Bukayo Saka came close when his effort hit the crossbar, while Jude Bellingham saw his header go wide. The Democratic Republic of the Congo continued to advance whenever they had opportunities, conceding three corner kicks during dangerous periods, while England finished the match with five corner kicks.

The physical nature of the competition also intensified. DRC committed 12 fouls in an attempt to disrupt England’s rhythm compared to England’s nine, with Noah Siddiqui receiving a yellow card for a cynical challenge before Bellingham was also booked as tempers briefly flared during England’s increasingly desperate quest for an equaliser.

Gordon changed the game before Kane wrote more World Cup history

Realizing that England’s attacks were becoming predictable, Tuchel brought on Anthony Gordon during the closing stages, and the tactical switch instantly changed the course of the match. Gordon’s direct run wore down a tired DR Congo defense and finally created the display England had struggled to put on all evening.

The equalizer came in the 75th minute from a brilliant move. Gordon raced down the left flank before curling an attractive cross into the six-yard box.

Kane controlled his movement beautifully, turning away from his marker before sending a header down past the helpless Mbasi to finally end DR Congo’s impressive resistance.

England continued to push for victory as momentum shifted decisively in their favour. Eleven minutes later, Gordon proved his decisiveness once again. After England won the ball back from a partially cleared corner kick, the winger sent another dangerous ball into a crowded penalty area.

Kane reacted the quickest into the crowd, creating enough space to turn before unleashing a powerful shot high into the top right corner in the 86th minute, completing the comeback and sending England into the last 16.

Kane climbs the all-time charts as England stay alive

Kane’s decisive brace had significance far beyond England’s qualification. His two goals took his World Cup tally to 13 goals, putting him ahead of Pele on the tournament’s all-time top scorers list.

They also raised it to five goals in the 2026 World Cup, equaling the number with Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot standings, leaving him behind only Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who continue to lead the race.

The England captain also strengthened his position among his country’s greatest players in the World Cup. His tally in the knockout stages now stands at five goals, leaving him second in England’s all-time World Cup knockout stages, behind Gary Lineker with six, while still ahead of Sir Geoff Hurst, who has scored four.England eventually took the lead, but only after one of the toughest tests they have faced in recent years. DR Congo exited the tournament with a huge record after pushing one of the favorites to the brink of elimination, while England will be aware that a more forceful performance will be required when they face Mexico in the last 16 at the Estadio Azteca.