Kane Rescues England with Two Late Goals Against DR Congo
Harry Kane pulled England back from the brink at the 2026 World Cup, scoring twice in 11 minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit against DR Congo and book a place in the last 16. According to The Guardian, England had been laboured and disjointed throughout much of the match in Atlanta, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi making a string of fine saves to keep the DR Congo ahead going into the final stretch.
The situation had grown genuinely desperate during the second hydration break, with England still trailing and looking rudderless. Manager Thomas Tuchel gathered his players on the touchline and urged calm — though by all accounts the mood was anything but. England’s body language told its own story, and memories of painful tournament exits past were already circling ominously.
What followed, though, was a turnaround that may well define Kane’s England career. With England pushing forward in numbers and Declan Rice operating as an unlikely right-back, Rice reached the byline and crossed long. Anthony Gordon collected and played it back into the box for Kane, who powered a header across goal and past Mpasi’s outstretched hand.
England pressed on as DR Congo tired, and Kane was at it again minutes later — this time receiving Gordon’s pass, twisting inside the box, and driving a fierce right-footed shot into the bottom of the net. The relief among the England bench and supporters was unmistakable.
The significance of the moment is hard to overstate. Kane was part of the England squad that lost to Iceland at Euro 2016 in Nice — a defeat that remains one of the most painful in recent memory. A decade on, he has spared this generation something similar, and in doing so has also bought Tuchel and the Football Association considerable breathing room.
For bettors tracking the tournament, England’s form will bear close watching. They have survived, but this was far from convincing. Head to our World Cup 2026 hub for the latest analysis and odds on England’s last-16 tie, and keep an eye on the live standings as the group stage reaches its conclusion.
Whether England can build on this or whether Kane will once again be required to carry the team remains the central question of their campaign.