Kane’s late double rescues England after a DR Congo scare

England needed a captain’s rescue act in Atlanta. For almost 70 minutes at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium they looked like they might be packing their bags, trailing a fearless DR Congo side who had turned a last-32 tie into a genuine scare. Then Harry Kane did what Kane does. Two goals in the final quarter of an hour on July 1 hauled England to a 2-1 win and into the last 16, where Mexico now wait.

Cipenga’s early bolt

The evening started in the worst way for Thomas Tuchel’s side. Seven minutes in, Brian Cipenga was left alone at the far post as a cross dropped, and he needed no second invitation, steering the ball past Jordan Pickford to silence a stadium packed with England supporters. DR Congo, playing without fear, had the lead and the belief to go with it.

England did not fall apart, but they did not click either. The passing was heavy, the final ball kept letting them down, and every time they pushed forward DR Congo threw bodies in the way. Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was at the heart of it, throwing out a hand and a boot whenever an England chance finally arrived. At the interval the underdogs were still in front and dreaming of one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.

Kane turns it around

Tuchel went to his bench around the hour mark, and it was a substitute who turned the night. Anthony Gordon came on and gave England exactly what they had been missing. In the 75th minute he whipped in a cross from the left, Kane climbed to meet it, and a downward header past Mpasi finally levelled a tie that had been fraying English nerves for over an hour.

With the momentum theirs, England went looking for the winner and Kane provided it four minutes from time. Gordon was the supplier again, teeing up the captain to smash a finish high into the net and complete the turnaround. Two assists off the bench for Gordon, two goals for Kane, and from staring at an early exit England were suddenly through while DR Congo, who had given everything, had nothing left to answer with.

A scare that will linger

The scoreline flatters England a little. DR Congo were organised, brave and a threat on the break all night, and had they taken one of their second-half openings the story could have been very different. For a side that arrived at this World Cup as one of the outsiders, they gave the tournament one of its better nights and left Atlanta with their heads high.

For England, the relief was obvious. Tuchel has spent this tournament fielding questions about a team that keeps winning without ever really convincing, and this was the most uncomfortable evening yet. They are through, and that is what a knockout tournament asks of you, but the performance will not quiet the doubters. A last-16 meeting with hosts Mexico is next, and England will need to be a lot better than this.

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