DistantNews
Support us
Kane's late brace saves England from World Cup upset against DR Congo
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

Kane's late brace saves England from World Cup upset against DR Congo

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Harry Kane scored two late goals to rescue England from a 2-1 defeat against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the World Cup.
  • The victory secured England's place in the last 16 of the tournament, where they will face co-hosts Mexico.
  • The match highlighted England's struggles, particularly on the right flank, and the need for improvement despite advancing.

England narrowly avoided a shocking World Cup exit, with captain Harry Kane scoring two late goals to secure a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. The win propelled Thomas Tuchel's team into the last 16, but exposed significant vulnerabilities that will need addressing before their next match.

England’s forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 match football between England and the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 1, 2026.

— Odd ANDERSEN / AFPCaption for a photo showing Harry Kane celebrating a goal.

DR Congo took a surprise lead early in the first half when Brian Cipenga found the net, exploiting a gap on England's right flank. The goal silenced the predominantly English crowd and visibly unsettled the Three Lions. Despite the pressure, England's players struggled to break down Congo's defense, with Jude Bellingham receiving a yellow card and engaging in a heated exchange with coach Tuchel during a hydration break.

Spence was caught under Chancel Mbemba’s cross as the ball fell for Cipenga. The Almeria winger’s shot was low and hard, but Jordan Pickford should still have kept it out at his near post.

— VanguardDescription of how DR Congo scored their goal.

The team's performance raised concerns, particularly the defensive lapses that allowed Congo to take the lead. The decision not to include more specialist right-back cover in the squad has come under scrutiny following the incident. England's forward line also faced difficulties, with Marcus Rashford's powerful shot being blocked on the line.

The vast majority of the nearly 70,000 crowd decked out in England red and white were silenced, while Tuchel’s players were visibly rattled.

— VanguardDescription of the atmosphere and England's reaction after Congo took the lead.

Kane's late heroics saved England from what would have been one of their worst-ever World Cup performances. The victory, however, does little to mask the team's struggles against a Congolese side making their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. England now faces a daunting task against co-hosts Mexico in the next round, where a significant improvement in performance will be required.

Yoane Wissa’s three goals in the group stage fired his country to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, and the Newcastle striker had a golden chance to double the DR Congo lead but hit the outsi

— VanguardContext about DR Congo's player Yoane Wissa and a missed opportunity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog