Kane rescues England with late brace against DR Congo to reach last 16

Harry Kane pulled England out of a trap set by the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 1, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Three Lions won 2-1 thanks to a brace from their captain late in the match (75’, 86’), bringing his total to seven goals in this World Cup.

The scenario was not the expected one. From the 7th minute, Cipenga — a Congolese substitute set to play next season in Spain’s second division with Almería — opened the scoring and stunned the stadium. England pushed throughout the first half, but goalkeeper Mpasi proved decisive in maintaining the Leopards’ advantage at the break.

The second half followed the same pattern, with the English dominating possession without finding a way through, until Kane took matters into his own hands. His equalizer in the 75th minute revived the match, before his second goal in the 86th minute sealed the fate of the game and secured qualification for the Lions.

For DR Congo, elimination is cruel but logical given the balance of forces. The Leopards can nonetheless leave this World Cup with their heads held high, having held one of the tournament favorites at bay for more than an hour of play.

The warning is serious for England, however. While Kane remains the ultimate and indispensable resort — seven goals in as many matches — collective solidity showed worrying gaps against an African team missing several key players. The next opponent, Mexico, one of the most impressive teams in the group stage, will not hesitate to exploit these weaknesses if they persist in the round of 16.