Harry Kane scored two goals in 11 minutes to turn a potential disaster into a 2-1 victory for England over DR Congo at the Atlanta Stadium, sending his team to the last 16 of the World Cup and saving Thomas Tuchel's job in the process.
England's Horror Show
England were dreadful for much of the match, trailing 1-0 after a goal from Brian Cipenga in the sixth minute. The team looked unbalanced, confused, and unhappy, clanging the ball about like men punting an empty paint pot along a motorway verge. Even the faces of the players seemed crumpled, as if they were already reliving past traumas—Iceland, Croatia, Norway, Graham Taylor wandering down a touchline in Rotterdam saying sorry.
The first hydration break was a bizarre moment. The stadium PA blasted "Hey Baby" as Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders writhed on the massive screen. Reece James took Jude Bellingham aside, whispering urgently in his ear. Tuchel, dressed like an undertaker on a cruise holiday in black shirt, black slacks, and white trainers, bent into his players' faces, talking relentlessly about system tweaks and process advice. Nobody was calm.
Kane to the Rescue
Fast forward to the final hydration break. England had created chances, drawn wonderful saves from Lionel Mpasi, but were still 1-0 down. Country Roads, take me home blared over the PA. This was heads-on-pikes territory—the worst tournament defeat since 1950. Tuchel again machine-gunned his semicircle of bowed heads with ideas, thoughts, restructurings.
Then Kane produced his best moment as an England player. With a front five and only Elliot Anderson behind, Declan Rice reached the byline and crossed. Anthony Gordon put it back for Kane to head powerfully across goal, beating Mpasi's flailing hand. The stadium erupted with relief. England pressed on as DR Congo tired. Kane again, from Gordon's pass, whirled and shunted the ball onto his right foot, blazing a brutal shot below the bar. The net billowed as England's bench emptied onto the pitch.
A Moment for Harry
Kane played in that Iceland game in 2016—the deep horror of Nice, the abuse of Raheem Sterling, fans jeering about the Euro currency. Ten years on, he did the other thing. He saved another day. It seems odd now there was talk that Tuchel might look beyond Kane 18 months ago. In Atlanta, Kane saved not just Tuchel's job but his reputation. Kane has five goals at this World Cup and 84 for England, en route to the inevitable hundred. His career is remarkable given the sheer depth of will required.
England will now play Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16. Nobody really knows if they're any good. They looked like a team of loose connections. The Atlanta Stadium is perhaps the best at this World Cup, actually in the city, surrounded by streets and walkways. The heat is brutal, sapping—just walking across a double lane highway is a full body assault. Under the dome, the air is cool, breezy, light.
Issues from the Start
England kicked off with a Spence-Madueke right side. Noni Madueke is a one-footed work in progress for such a key role. They did almost nothing for six minutes. DR Congo scored a lovely goal made by strange defending: Spence followed Noah Sadiki's run, leaving unchecked acreage. A diagonal pass found Cipenga, who shot low inside Jordan Pickford's near post—a goalkeeper at this level would expect to save it.
England looked like a chucked-together collective. Some buzzwords, a little gimmickry, great turnover in players and combinations. For long periods, ragged English naivety was exposed by DR Congo's tactical discipline. Bellingham ran around a lot, leaving an extra man in midfield. Pickford pumped his arms up and down wildly, like Jerry Lee Lewis hammering at a piano keyboard—which, surprisingly, didn't calm everyone down.
Relief at the Final Whistle
The relief at the final whistle was profound. England's players and fans sang together at the far end. All the roads we have to walk are winding. The lights are blinding. England made chances here, and they will cling to that. They showed real spirit to turn the game around. Above all, they have Kane—a temporary fix for a great deal of wrong, but on days like this, a one-man national team.
