Harry Kane stepped up when England needed him most. The forward scored twice in the final stretch of the match to turn the game around and seal a 2-1 victory over DR Congo, a result that sets up the Three Lions as Mexico’s next opponent in the World Cup round of 16.
The English team came very close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Congo took the lead early on thanks to Brian Cipenga and kept one of the tournament favorites on the ropes for much of the match played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Just as time was beginning to run out for England, their all-time leading scorer stepped up. Harry Kane tied the score in the 75th minute with a header, and with four minutes remaining, he sealed the comeback with a powerful right-footed shot that found the top corner, setting the final score at 2-1.
With this result, England advanced to the Round of 16 and will face the Mexican national team next Sunday at Estadio Azteca, a venue they will return to four decades after that unforgettable quarterfinal match at Mexico ’86 against Argentina—a game marked by Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century.”
Thus, El Tri now knows the opponent it will seek to stop in the next round, while England avoided a historic defeat thanks to Kane, who once again stepped up under the greatest pressure to keep his team alive.
