Harry Kane Scores Late Brace as England Beat DR Congo to Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16

July 02, 2026: England survived a major scare to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 after coming from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 in a thrilling contest at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday. Harry Kane produced another captain's performance, scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to complete a remarkable turnaround after England had trailed for most of the match.

The result looked far from certain in the opening stages as tournament debutants DR Congo stunned England with an early goal. In the seventh minute, Chancel Mbemba flicked on a long ball into the penalty area, where Brian Cipenga found space behind England's defence. The forward calmly slotted the ball past Jordan Pickford at the near post to give the African side a dream start.

England responded by dominating possession, but their attacks lacked the finishing touch. Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane all tested DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who produced a string of excellent saves to keep his side in front. England also appealed for a penalty after Kane went down inside the box, but the referee allowed play to continue after a VAR review.

Harry Kane Leads England's Comeback

Thomas Tuchel's side returned from the break with greater urgency and intensity. The introduction of Anthony Gordon in the 61st minute added fresh energy to England's attack, and the pressure on the DR Congo defence continued to grow.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 75th minute. Declan Rice delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area, and Gordon's clever touch set up Kane perfectly. The England captain rose above the defenders and powered a header past Mpasi to level the score at 1-1.

With momentum firmly on England's side, Kane completed the comeback in the 86th minute. Jude Bellingham drove forward before Gordon battled to keep the move alive inside the box. The loose ball fell kindly to Kane, who created just enough space before firing a powerful right-footed strike into the top-right corner. The goal was his fifth of the tournament and his 13th overall in FIFA World Cup history, once again underlining his importance to the national team.

DR Congo Earn Respect Despite Defeat

Although England celebrated qualification, DR Congo left the pitch with plenty of admiration. Playing in their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout match, the African side showed courage, discipline and belief throughout the contest. Their well-organised defence frustrated England for long periods, while Lionel Mpasi delivered one of the standout goalkeeping performances of the tournament despite conceding twice late in the game.

England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 2-1 DR Congo 🇨🇩

DR Congo 🇨🇩 threatened one of the football powerhouses in a good game but failed last minute

They go home with alot of pride Considering how they qualified.Hard luck @soka25east pic.twitter.com/L6ZTpkRKaY

— Collins Okinyo (@bedjosessien) July 1, 2026

The result ended DR Congo's impressive World Cup journey, but their fearless display proved they belonged on football's biggest stage. They pushed one of the tournament favourites to the limit and came within minutes of producing one of the biggest upsets of the competition.

England Set Up Round of 16 Clash Against Mexico

The victory sends England into the Round of 16, where they will face Mexico. The North American side secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the Round of 32 and remain one of the strongest defensive teams in the tournament, having yet to concede a goal.

England will take confidence from another match-winning display by Harry Kane, but Thomas Tuchel's side will know they must improve defensively and convert their chances more efficiently if they are to continue their pursuit of FIFA World Cup glory.