Kane's late double rescues England from DR Congo upset to seal last-16 place

Harry Kane rescued England with two late goals to beat DR Congo 2-1 at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, avoiding a shock group-stage exit and booking a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 for the third tournament running.

It was DR Congo who drew first blood, left winger Brian Cipenga finding space on the edge of the penalty area to slot the ball between the near post and Jordan Pickford. The African side continued to threaten before half-time and carried that defensive resilience into the second period, leaving England looking short of ideas for long stretches.

The Three Lions gradually built momentum as the hour mark passed, and Kane finally drew them level in the 74th minute. With the match seemingly drifting towards extra time, the England captain struck again in the 85th minute to complete the turnaround and seal the win.

Kane’s brace made him the first English player to score twice in a World Cup knockout fixture since Gary Lineker did so against Cameroon at Italia 90 — a 35-year wait that underlines just how rare the feat is.

England will face Mexico in the round of 16 on Sunday, 5 July at Mexico City Stadium.