England survived a major scare before captain Harry Kane scored twice late to secure a 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Wednesday.
DR Congo took a shock early lead through Brian Cipenga, who scored his first international goal in the seventh minute. England, who had dominated possession, struggled to create clear chances against a disciplined and energetic Congolese side for much of the match.
The result sends England into the Round of 16, where they will face tournament co-hosts Mexico.
England began the match looking to control possession but were caught out by DR Congo’s early attacking intent. A quick move down the wing ended with a low cross into the box, where Cipenga was left unmarked at the back post. He finished calmly past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to give DR Congo an unexpected lead.
The goal lifted the Congolese supporters inside the stadium and placed England under immediate pressure.
DR Congo pressed aggressively and remained organised without the ball, preventing England from finding rhythm in midfield or space around the penalty area. England’s frustration showed when Jude Bellingham was booked in the 19th minute for a late challenge during a DR Congo counter-attack.
Noah Sadiki was also shown a yellow card later in the first half after stopping an England break involving Djed Spence.
Despite having more of the ball, England found it difficult to break through. Kane and Marcus Rashford both had efforts blocked in the penalty area, while goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi dealt comfortably with attempts from distance.
DR Congo, playing in their first World Cup knockout match, went into the interval with a 1-0 lead.
© instagram.com/caf_onlineThey could have extended their advantage shortly before the break when Yoane Wissa struck the post after another forward move. Kane also appealed for a penalty during the first half, but the referee waved away his claims.
England’s campaign had begun with a 4-2 win over Croatia, but a goalless draw against Ghana and a narrow 2-0 victory over Panama had raised concerns about the side’s defensive shape and attacking consistency.
Those concerns appeared sharper when Cipenga put DR Congo ahead. England had not trailed at any stage of the tournament before the match and had never previously won a World Cup game after being behind at half-time.
England improved after the break but continued to face a compact DR Congo defence. Bellingham forced a strong save from Mpasi with a header, while Declan Rice delivered dangerous balls into the area.
Rashford was denied by goal-line defending, and Mpasi made another important stop to keep out Bellingham late in the half.
England manager Thomas Tuchel made attacking changes around the hour mark, bringing on Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka for Rashford and Noni Madueke. Eberechi Eze later replaced Spence as England committed more players forward.
The substitutions helped England sustain pressure, while DR Congo made changes in an effort to protect their lead and remain dangerous on the counter-attack.
England finally found an equaliser in the 75th minute. Kane met a delivery into the box with a glancing header that went past Mpasi, who got fingertips to the ball but could not keep it out.
It was Kane’s 83rd international goal and brought England back into the contest after a difficult afternoon.
England continued to press for a winner and Kane struck again in the 86th minute to complete his brace. The goal gave Tuchel’s side a 2-1 lead and ended DR Congo’s hopes of a historic upset.
“We kept believing,” Tuchel said after the match. “Well deserved, but we had to work a lot. We have to have that mindset if it is getting hard, it is getting hard, but don’t lose patience and don’t lose belief.
“The energy and the team spirit is on the highest level and the commitment from everyone, and I think everyone fully understands in which part of the tournament we are at the moment and what it really takes.”
The victory was England’s first World Cup comeback win since their quarter-final victory over Cameroon in 1990.
Kane said England would need to be prepared for a different challenge against Mexico.
“Obviously, when you get to knock out football, the pressure is higher, the risk is higher. But we spoke all week just about being ourselves,” Kane said.
“This game and the next one are two difficult games for different reasons. But we’re in the part of the tournament where you have to grind wins out.”
England will now travel to Mexico City for their Round of 16 tie. The match will be played at the Azteca Stadium, which sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level.
After a tense match against DR Congo, England will face another test against Mexico, with altitude, reduced oxygen levels and the pace of the ball expected to be factors in the next knockout fixture.
Leave a Reply