Kane’s double completes dramatic England comeback against DR Congo

ATLANTA: Captain Harry Kane struck twice late in the second half as England fought back from a goal down to defeat a resilient DR Congo 2-1, securing their place in the World Cup Round of 16.

A packed crowd at the Atlanta Stadium witnessed a thrilling comeback by the Three Lions, who trailed for most of the match before turning the game around in the final 15 minutes, largely thanks to the brilliance of young forward Anthony Gordon.

The African side stunned the pre-match favourites just seven minutes in. Exploiting gaps in the English defence, Brian Cipenga slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to give DR Congo an unexpected early lead. The early breakthrough completely shifted the momentum. Galvanised by the goal, DR Congo played with immense confidence, disrupting England's rhythm with disciplined defensive organisation and lightning-fast counter-attacks.

England struggled to break the deadlock for the majority of the game, frustrated by an inspired performance from DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. Mpasi pulled off several world-class saves, including a spectacular one-handed stop to deny Jude Bellingham’s powerful header just before halftime. DR Congo also had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the 42nd minute, but Yoane Wissa’s strike agonisingly rattled the post with only Pickford to beat- a miss that would prove costly.

England's relentless pressure finally paid off in the 74th minute. Anthony Gordon delivered a precise cross into the box, allowing Harry Kane to power home a brilliant equaliser. Just twelve minutes later, in the 86th minute, the Gordon-Kane partnership struck again. Gordon turned provider once more, setting up Kane for a superb clinical finish to seal the 2-1 victory and send England through to the knockout stages.

While England celebrates a hard-fought spot in the Round of 16, DR Congo exits the match with immense credit after pushing one of the tournament favourites to the absolute limit.