Kane Brace Sends England Past DR Congo, Sets Mexico Tie
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- Harry Kane scored both England goals, including a late equalizing header and a decisive second strike, to turn the match and set up a last-16 tie with co-hosts Mexico, earning a 9/10 rating as the BBC said England are "being carried by their talismanic striker."
- Brian Cipenga opened the scoring for DR Congo by beating Jordan Pickford at his near post after England were caught out defensively, a "nightmare start" that drew Pickford a 5/10 rating.
- Anthony Gordon replaced Marcus Rashford as a substitute and supplied both of Kane's goals from the left, earning an 8/10 rating and swinging the contest in England's favour.
- England's back four of Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly each received 5/10 ratings, with the BBC flagging the unsettled unit as having "not looked convincing throughout this tournament" and leaving significant space for opposition attacks.
- Bukayo Saka entered as a substitute and combined effectively with Declan Rice, who was shifted to right back late in the match, providing a reliable attacking outlet down the right.
- The match was played in Atlanta, with England's midfield trio of Rice, Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham flagged for leaving Declan Rice's defence exposed and Bellingham booked for a late challenge.
- Jude Bellingham had two headers saved by DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi as England struggled to convert pressure before Kane's late intervention.
Why it matters: The win keeps England's World Cup alive and sets up a high-stakes tie against host nation Mexico, but the BBC's rating of all four defenders at 5/10 and its description of a "back four that is not settled" highlight a structural fragility that stronger opposition can punish. Kane's individual brilliance is masking systemic issues that manager must resolve before the last-16 or risk elimination on home-soil noise in Mexico.
