Kane’s late heroics save England from stunning World Cup upset against DR Congo

For 75 tense minutes, England's World Cup ambitions hung by a thread as the Democratic Republic of Congo edged closer to one of the greatest upsets in tournament history.

Then Harry Kane reminded everyone why he remains England's indispensable leader.

The veteran striker scored twice in the closing stages Wednesday to erase an early deficit and secure a dramatic 2-1 victory that spared England from an embarrassing exit while booking a Round of 16 showdown with co-host Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Sunday.

Although the comeback preserved England's dream of ending a 60-year wait for a major international title, Thomas Tuchel's squad left Atlanta knowing a far sharper performance will be required against one of the tournament favorites.

Congo stuns England with early breakthrough

The Three Lions arrived as overwhelming favorites but were shaken almost immediately by a fearless Congolese side enjoying its first World Cup appearance in more than half a century.

DR Congo struck through Brian Cipenga after England's vulnerable right flank was exposed. Chancel Mbemba delivered a dangerous cross that caught right-back Djed Spence out of position, allowing the Almeria winger to drive a low effort toward goal.

Although the shot lacked spectacular power, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was unable to keep it out at his near post, leaving nearly 70,000 England supporters inside the stadium stunned into silence.

The early setback visibly unsettled Tuchel's players, who struggled to regain their composure as Congo grew increasingly confident.

Frustration mounts before halftime

England eventually settled and began creating opportunities, but every promising attack was met by inspired resistance from goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.

Jude Bellingham nearly equalized with a towering header from Declan Rice's cross, forcing Mpasi into an excellent save. Soon afterward, Marcus Rashford appeared destined to score before Aaron Wan-Bissaka brilliantly cleared his effort off the goal line following an incisive run by Noni Madueke.

England's frustrations extended beyond missed opportunities.

Bellingham collected a yellow card after a reckless challenge before becoming involved in a heated exchange with Tuchel during the first-half hydration break. The pause in play gave the England manager an opportunity to calm his players as emotions threatened to boil over.

Despite England's pressure, Congo nearly doubled its advantage before intermission.

Yoane Wissa, whose three goals during the group stage had fueled the Leopards' historic run into the knockout rounds, found himself with an open opportunity from close range but struck only the outside of the post.

Moments later, Kane believed he had earned a penalty after being brought down while attempting to round Mpasi, but the referee waved play on.

Mpasi then capped a sensational first half by producing outstanding saves to deny another Bellingham header before keeping out Kane's close-range effort from a corner just before halftime.

Tuchel turns to his bench

England controlled much of the early second half but struggled to unlock Congo's disciplined defensive shape.

Sensing the urgency of the moment, Tuchel reshaped his attack by introducing Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and Eberechi Eze.

The substitutions transformed England's attacking rhythm.

Gordon, recently signed by Barcelona, immediately injected pace and creativity into the left side, providing the quality England had lacked throughout much of the contest.

Kane delivers when England needed him most

With time slipping away, England's captain finally found the breakthrough.

In the 75th minute, Gordon floated an inviting cross into the penalty area, where Kane rose above the defense and directed a perfectly placed downward header beyond Mpasi to level the match.

The equalizer shifted momentum completely.

Eleven minutes later, Gordon again supplied the decisive pass, but this time Kane supplied the spectacular finish. Collecting the ball inside the area, England's captain unleashed a thunderous strike into the roof of the net, completing the comeback and sending England into the Round of 16.

The goals increased Kane's remarkable World Cup tally to 13, while his five goals in the current tournament kept him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot.

Reflecting on the dramatic victory, Kane emphasized the importance of remaining composed despite the mounting pressure.

"What a crazy game, obviously," Kane said. "I think you have to stay patient in these games."

He also praised the outstanding performance of Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.

"Their keeper definitely made some unbelievable saves in that first half. And it was just about pounding the rock, keep pounding the rock, and our moments will come."

Fairytale ends for courageous Leopards

Although their remarkable journey came to an end, DR Congo departed the tournament with their heads held high.

Returning to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, the Leopards had arrived without ever scoring a goal or earning a point on football's biggest stage.

They changed that narrative during this tournament, advancing beyond the group phase for the first time and pushing one of the competition's favorites to the brink of elimination before Kane's late intervention ended their dream.

For England, survival was all that mattered. But with Mexico awaiting in the Round of 16, Tuchel's side knows that another performance filled with defensive lapses and missed opportunities may not be enough to keep its long-awaited championship hopes alive.