Former champions England faced a tough match but kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes alive on Wednesday. Harry Kane scored twice in the last minutes to help them win 2-1 against DR Congo in Atlanta. This victory secured a spot in the round of 16, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
England fell behind early in the game after Brian Cipenga scored for DR Congo. The English team struggled to break through the African side for most of the match.
They were lucky to still be in the game at halftime. DR Congo striker Yoane Wissa hit the post when it seemed like he would score. Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi made several great saves to keep England from finding the net.
With England facing a surprising exit, captain Kane equalized in the 75th minute. He headed the ball in from a cross by substitute Anthony Gordon.
Kane then completed the comeback just four minutes from the end. He picked up the ball at the edge of the box, turned quickly and fired a powerful right-footed shot past Mpasi. This was his fifth goal of the tournament.
England will now play co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Monday, July 6.
DR Congo's World Cup journey comes to an end after returning to the tournament for the first time since 1974. They qualified after knocking out Nigeria on penalties in the African playoffs in November 2025.
Nigeria lost that match 4-3 in the shootout. Afterward, the Nigeria Football Federation questioned the eligibility of some DR Congo players.
But FIFA rejected the protest, allowing DR Congo to move on to the intercontinental playoffs. There, they beat Jamaica 1-0 to secure their World Cup spot.
DR Congo had a decent tournament, starting with a 1-1 draw against Portugal. They then lost 1-0 to Colombia.
Their campaign continued with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, which sent them to the knockout stage before they were eliminated by England.
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