Kane double lifts England past DR Congo into World Cup last 16

Brian Cipenga put DR Congo ahead in the seventh minute at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and for most of Wednesday night the first-time knockout-stage side looked poised to turn its first senior meeting with England into a landmark result. Harry Kane erased that lead in the 75th minute and then struck again in the 86th, sending England into the World Cup round of 16 with a 2-1 comeback win in Atlanta.

DR Congo had reason to believe the upset could hold. Lionel Mpasi made several important saves, Yoane Wissa hit the post before halftime and England spent long stretches chasing the game after conceding early. The pressure finally told late, with Kane finishing twice to complete the turnaround and preserve England’s place in the tournament.

For DR Congo, the defeat cut deeper because the night carried uncommon weight far beyond the scoreline. This was the country’s first World Cup knockout-stage appearance, a milestone that gave Congolese supporters a brief but powerful moment of visibility on a global stage. In a tournament followed closely by a worldwide diaspora, Cipenga’s early goal offered a rare sight of DR Congo dictating terms against one of the sport’s established powers before England seized control in the final quarter-hour.

England manager Thomas Tuchel pointed to his substitutes and to the team’s energy and spirit after the break, and that response lifted England into the last 16 for the third successive World Cup edition. The comeback also extended England’s unbeaten run through the group-to-knockout transition under heavy tournament pressure, while DR Congo left Atlanta with the sharpest of reminders that a first breakthrough at this level can vanish in a matter of minutes.

England will next face Mexico in the round of 16, while DR Congo return home with a debut knockout appearance that will linger for what it represented as much as for how it ended.