Kane’s late double rescues England past Congo DR, into last 16
Harry Kane struck twice in the final 15 minutes as England escaped Congo DR 2-1 in Atlanta and reached the World Cup last 16.
Harry Kane’s two late goals carried England past Congo DR 2-1 in Atlanta and into the World Cup round of 16, a comeback that dominated Thursday’s front pages in the United Kingdom. The England captain settled a nervy match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with strikes in the final 15 minutes, turning a result that had looked far shakier than the scoreline suggested.
England had been held under pressure for much of the night before Kane delivered the equalizer and then the winner, completing a second-half turnaround against a Congo DR side that made Thomas Tuchel’s team work deep into the closing stages. The victory, secured on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, set up a last-16 clash with Mexico and kept England’s World Cup campaign moving, but only after a performance that appeared one bad moment away from unraveling.
That tension is why the headlines split so sharply between celebration and concern. Kane’s late brace offered England an escape route, yet it also underlined how dependent Tuchel’s side was on one player to recover a match that had slipped toward elimination. The final quarter-hour did not just decide the result; it framed the broader question of whether England are progressing because of their attacking talent or in spite of a defensive structure that can be stretched by stronger opposition.
The day’s coverage also pushed Kane into rare historical territory. One report said he reached 11 World Cup goals for England, moving ahead of Gary Lineker, while another placed his latest strikes in a wider World Cup scoring context that put him beyond Pelé’s mark. However it is measured, the numbers added another layer to a night already defined by urgency, with Kane again central to England’s survival.
Football was only half the front-page story. The Telegraph also led on the United Kingdom’s defence funding row, saying the gap in the government’s Defence Investment Plan had tripled to £15bn. The result was a striking contrast on the morning newsstands, with Kane’s rescue act carrying England through and the defence debate exposing a separate political strain at home.
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