Kane’s Double Rescues England in Gritty Win Over DR Congo
TITLE: Kane’s Double Rescues England in Gritty Win Over DR Congo
Harry Kane’s two late goals propelled England to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over DR Congo, securing their passage to the World Cup last 16. The win, witnessed by an attendance of 68,239 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, sets up a challenging encounter against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.
England, under manager Thomas Tuchel, found themselves trailing early after Brian Cipenga netted for DR Congo seven minutes into their first-ever World Cup knockout game. The 46th-ranked DR Congo surprised England with a tactical shift from their usual 5-3-2 to a 4-4-2 formation, effectively exploiting vulnerabilities and making England labor for extended periods. Their deep build-up play, utilizing the goalkeeper and three central players, outnumbered England’s front two of Kane and Jude Bellingham, making high pressing difficult.
Despite Lionel Mpasi making several saves and Aaron Wan-Bissaka clearing a Marcus Rashford shot off the line, it was Kane who ultimately broke the deadlock. After heading home a cross from substitute Anthony Gordon to equalize with a quarter of an hour remaining, Kane fired an emphatic 86th-minute winner into the roof of the net, completing the comeback. This brace elevates Kane’s World Cup goal tally to 13, surpassing Brazil legend Pelé.
The victory, while ensuring progression, highlighted areas for England to address as they prepare for their Monday clash with Mexico. DR Congo’s disciplined performance and tactical adjustments presented one of the toughest tests for Tuchel since he took charge, exposing defensive disarray that led to Cipenga’s opener against Jordan Pickford.
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