England staged a second-half comeback to defeat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 and secure their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with captain Harry Kane scoring both goals in a dramatic knockout clash at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.

After entering the match as favourites, England were stunned inside the opening minutes when DR Congo winger Brian Cipenga fired the Leopards into an early lead. The African side defended resolutely for much of the game, frustrating Thomas Tuchel’s men and carrying their advantage into the second half.

England’s persistence finally paid off in the 75th minute when Kane rose to head home an equaliser from Anthony Gordon’s cross, igniting the Three Lions’ comeback. The England captain then completed the turnaround in the 86th minute with a superb individual effort, beating the Congolese defence before finding the back of the net to make it 2-1.

Despite the defeat, DR Congo earned widespread praise for an impressive tournament campaign. The Leopards, making only their second FIFA World Cup appearance and first-ever appearance in the knockout stage, pushed one of the tournament favourites to the limit before bowing out.

England will now face co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16 as they continue their quest for a second FIFA World Cup title. Tuchel’s side will hope the comeback victory provides momentum after another performance that exposed defensive vulnerabilities despite ultimately delivering qualification

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