- England defeated DR Congo 2–1 to reach the World Cup Round of 16
- DR Congo took an early lead before Harry Kane scored twice to turn the game around
- England will now face Mexico in the next round, while DR Congo exit the tournament
England secured their place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 after a 2–1 victory over DR Congo, recovering from an early setback thanks to a decisive double from captain Harry Kane.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that DR Congo made a dream start, taking the lead within the first ten minutes when Brian Cipenga finished calmly after Chancel Mbemba released him with a well-placed long pass.
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England initially looked disjointed and were fortunate not to fall further behind, with Yoane Wissa striking the post and other openings going begging.
As the match progressed, England slowly grew into the contest, with Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice both coming close, although they were denied by fine goalkeeping from Lionel Mpasi and last-ditch defending. The pressure eventually paid off in the second half when Kane levelled matters with a precise header from Anthony Gordon’s delivery.
With time running out, England pushed for a winner and found it through Kane again, who unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the area after sustained attacking pressure forced the breakthrough. The late goal completed the turnaround and confirmed England’s progression to a Round of 16 meeting with Mexico.
DR Congo, meanwhile, exited the tournament after a spirited campaign that marked their first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout stage.
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