England advanced to the round of 16 with a 2-1 comeback win over the Democratic Republic of Congo, powered by two late goals from captain Harry Kane. The victory sets up a meeting with co-host Mexico in Mexico City on Sunday.
DR Congo took a shock lead in the seventh minute when Brian Cipenga found the net, and they held the advantage until the 75th minute. Kane equalized with a strike assisted by new Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon, then scored again in the 86th minute to complete the turnaround. The win was crucial for England, avoiding an early exit like those suffered by Germany and the Netherlands.
With the double, Kane moved to five goals in the tournament, one behind joint leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot. England will face a confident Mexico side that has won all four of its matches so far. The match will be played at the Estadio Azteca, where altitude and a raucous crowd present a significant challenge.
“Dos goles de Harry Kane en un margen de once minutos, entre el 75 y el 86, dieron la vuelta al marcador contra la República Democrática del Congo (2-1) y clasificaron a Inglaterra para los octavos de final del Mundial 2026, en los que se enfrentará a la selección de México.”
“Kane, con dos asistencias de Anthony Gordon, nuevo jugador del Barcelona, quebró a tiempo el muro congoleño para evitar una debacle del equipo que entrena Thomas Tuchel.”