England went into an early finish around the country as the 5pm kick-off for their last 32 World Cup clash with DR Congo on Wednesday afternoon and for a large part of the game, it felt like the players themselves were coming off an 8 hour shift before kick-off as they were sloppy and unconvincing for the first half of the game as they fell behind early. Thankfully, the perseverance of their key stars led by Harry Kane produced a comeback and 86th minute winner to see England through.

Looking ahead, England now take on a late Sunday night/early Monday morning delight in a trip to Mexico City to take on one of the host nations in front of their home crowd, undoubtably England’s toughest test so far in the tournament, but one they’ll be excited for as the route through the knockouts is in their sights.

As always, if you have any thoughts on England at the World Cup this summer, get in touch with us by leaving a comment, following us on Bluesky (@NextGoalWinner) or Instagram (@NextGoalWin) and checking out our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner).

Teams

England: Pickford, O’Reilly, Guehi, Konsa, Spence (Eze 70′), Rice (Stones 90′), Anderson, Rashford (Gordon 60′), Bellingham, Madueke (Saka 60′), Kane

Subs: Henderson, Trafford, Burn, Quansah, James, Chalobah, Henderson, Mainoo, Rogers, Toney, Watkins

DR Congo: Mpasi-Nzau, Masuaku (Ditu 89′), Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka, Sadiki, Moutoussamy (Mayele 89′), Mukau (Kayembe 76′), Cipenga (Bongonda 76′), Wissa, Mbuku (Elia 64′)

Subs: Epolo, Fayulu, Batubinsika, Kalulu, Kapuadi, Tshibola, Pickel, Bakambu, Kakuta, Banza

England 2-1 DR Congo

England survived a major World Cup scare to edge past DR Congo 2-1 on Wednesday evening, with captain Harry Kane once again proving to be the difference as the Three Lions booked their place in the last 16. Thomas Tuchel’s side looked flat for long spells and were stunned when DR Congo grabbed an early lead, leaving England chasing the game against an organised and fearless opponent. The African side defended superbly and threatened on the counter-attack, but England’s persistence eventually paid off as Kane struck twice in the closing stages to complete a dramatic comeback and set up a knockout clash with Mexico.

The game could hardly have started worse for England. Brian Cipenga fired DR Congo into a surprise seventh-minute lead after a swift attacking move caught the English defence cold, silencing the crowd and giving the underdogs real belief. England dominated possession but struggled to break down a disciplined defensive unit, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi producing several excellent saves to frustrate Jude Bellingham. As the minutes ticked away, frustration began to grow, with England lacking the cutting edge expected from one of the tournament favourites.

Just when England looked to be heading for an embarrassing exit, Kane stepped up. The skipper powered home the equaliser with just over 15 minutes remaining after excellent work from substitute Anthony Gordon, lifting both his teammates and the supporters inside the stadium. Buoyed by the leveller, England poured forward in search of a winner and found it late on when Kane reacted quickest inside the penalty area to fire home his second goal of the night, completing a remarkable turnaround and sparking huge celebrations on the touchline. Gordon’s impact from the bench proved decisive, providing both assists on an evening when England desperately needed inspiration.

While the result keeps England’s World Cup dream alive, the performance will give Tuchel plenty to think about before tougher tests lie ahead. DR Congo earned widespread admiration for their fearless display and came within touching distance of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, while England were reminded that knockout football rarely comes easy. In the end, experience and the clinical finishing of Kane carried the Three Lions through, but they’ll know significant improvements will be needed if they are to mount a serious challenge for the trophy.

Talking Points

The first talking point has to be Harry Kane’s heroics late in the game. With his best returning season for goals of his career, he continued to be a shining light for England amid a disappointing 60 minutes which frustrated Tuchel’s side. He could have helped England back into the game early with a possible penalty call being denied due to Kane going down too theatrically for the referee, however his late goals moves him ahead of the likes of Pele in the World Cup all-time scoring charts, and leads England into the last 16 in the running for the golden boot.

While Kane’s brace covers over the cracks of the below par showing, questions are raised again over England’s approach in these games, struggling to break down a more defensive opponent who can soak up England pressure and produce moments of counter-attacks to cause the shaky defence some issues. It’s been suggested that England could benefit more against opponents who are more willing to attack and this could leaves gaps for Kane and co, however there’s little supporting evidence of this given the opponents England have played thus far, and looking at the likes of France, Argentina and Spain, the shaky defensive setup might not go along with this suggested plan.

Finally, the last 16 awaits on a late game on Sunday evening/Monday morning, with a huge clash at the Azteca stadium in Mexico. With the host nation on home turf and looking dangerous, it’s a real test for Tuchel with a team who will have the atmosphere, altitude and heat to contend with even before a ball is kicked, while the defence still remains light in some areas as it will be a decision for Tuchel for his full-back roles and centre-back pairings.