Pinned
Link copied
Harry Kane saved England's blushes in thrilling fashion in Atlanta as two late goals overcame a spirited DR Congo side and fired the Three Lions into the last 16 of the World Cup.
Fifteen minutes from what would have been one of the great humiliations of English footballing history -- and one they could not have argued they had not been dicing with for too long -- a combination of Declan Rice and Anthony Gordon gave their captain the sort of opening he only needs one of, cancelling out a brilliant opener by Brian Cipenga. When Kane got a second chance to let fly it would be heartbreak for DR Congo, who came so close to adding a first knockout win to a tournament record that included their first goal and first win.
Instead, England made it through their wake-up call. Thomas Tuchel earned a reprieve. One more chance to fix the issues at right back, to work out who should be running the wings and to add a bit more authority to a team that had started so brightly against Croatia but now are a familiar cocktail of hang-ups, nerves and supreme talent that isn't quite clicking.
As in the tournament as a whole, England had started brightly enough. For all of six minutes their press was competent, and they looked composed in midfield. The game seemed well set for the Three Lions until they drifted off, Noni Madueke leaving Djed Spence to defend a two on one as a ball came into the box from the opposite flank. There was nothing England's right back could do when Cipenga took the ball down and volleyed. At his near post, Jordan Pickford probably could.
The sense of a defense overwhelmed was apparent any time DR Congo broke from there on out. Only a flick off Nico O'Reilly took an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross directly out of the path of Yoane Wissa, who could only hook his shot against the post. This was anything but Tuchel football, controlled and organized, the back door firmly locked as pressure is applied at the other end.
For too much of this game, the only team feeling that pressure was England. Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford went cleaving at Congolese legs when they lost the ball. The fans booed. You could have been forgiven for thinking the referee was signaling for full time rather than the first hydration break, so dramatically were heads being lost.
Tuchel's message got through at the end of what is unfortunately feeling like the first quarter. Madueke started showing a clean pair of boots to Arthur Masuaku. Rice's crosses found their man, but both Bellingham and Harry Kane were denied by the sprawling Lionel Mpasi.
England were convinced that the goalkeeper, who could barely get a game for Le Havre this season, had fouled Kane when their captain tumbled in chasing a through ball. Despite what appeared to be contact, referee Adham Makhadmeh and his VAR concluded otherwise.
They might not have got the goal they needed to draw, but England looked to be slowly moving down the right path. And then they just stopped moving. In the first 22 minutes of the second half England took just two shots. The only time they tested Mpasi was when Bellingham's cross took a deflection.
Again it was the power of hyrdation to the Three Lions' rescue. A sharpening of the senses, a realisation that someone had to step up. Of course it was Kane, with the aid of Rice ploughing on from his late role as emergency right back. His high regain, a cross that came to substitute Gordon and a better delivery that Kane flicked home.
A further half hour was not what either side needed with the heat and height of Mexico City awaiting the winner. DR Congo had their openings, but at the death quality shone through. Barely. Three defenders converged on the captain when the ball broke his way on the edge of the area. None could get close. If Mpasi had got a glove up to his top left corner he'd have lost it.
England survived the fright of their lives. Well, the fright of their lives so far.
