Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have fun after scoring the equaliser towards DR Congo within the World Cup spherical of 32. Photograph: AFP
ATLANTA:
Harry Kane rescued England from a seismic World Cup shock with two late targets to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in Atlanta and safe a spot within the final 16.
Aiming to finish a 60-year wait to win a significant match, Thomas Tuchel’s males escaped humilation and one in all England’s worst ever World Cup exits because of their talismanic captain after Brian Cipenga’s early objective gave Congo an early lead.
However the Three Lions might want to enhance for the daunting activity of dealing with co-hosts Mexico on the Estadio Azteca within the final 16 on Sunday.
Already England’s all-time high goalscorer within the competitors, Kane now has 13 World Cup targets and strikes onto 5 for the match to stay within the the star-studded battle for the Golden Boot.
Defeat ended Congo’s fairytale run on their return to the World Cup for the primary time in 52 years.
The Leopards had by no means even received a degree or scored a objective on the World Cup till just a few weeks in the past, however had one of many match favourites teetering getting ready to elimination.
Tuchel made two adjustments from victory over Panama as Declan Rice return in midfield, whereas Djed Spence got here in at right-back with Reece James and Jarell Quansah each dominated out by way of harm.
The German coach’s determination to not choose extra specialist right-back cowl in a 26-man squad will face extra scrutiny after Congo took the lead down that flank.
Spence was caught beneath Chancel Mbemba’s cross because the ball fell for Cipenga. The Almeria winger’s shot was low and onerous however Jordan Pickford ought to nonetheless have saved it out at his close to publish.
The overwhelming majority of the practically 70,000 crowd decked out in England pink and white have been silenced, whereas Tuchel’s gamers have been visibly rattled.
Jude Bellingham was proven a yellow card for a lunge lunge and was then concerned in a heated alternate along with his coach through the mid-half hydration break.
The stoppage in play not less than allowed Tuchel the possibility to revive order.
Bellingham’s highly effective header from Declan Rice’s cross lastly compelled DR Congo ‘keeper Lionel Mpasi into motion.
Moments later Marcus Rashford’s highly effective effort was blocked on the road by London-born Aaron Wan Bissaka after Noni Madueke’s jinking run opened up the Congo defence.
But it might have been even worse for England on the break.
Yoane Wissa’s three targets within the group stage fired his nation to the knockout phases of the World Cup for the primary time and the Newcastle striker had a golden probability to double the DR Congo lead however hit the surface of the publish from point-blank vary.
On the different finish, Kane was livid when he went down as he tried to spherical Mpasi however the referee refused to level to the spot.
Le Harve stopper Mpasi’s impressed afternoon continued as he flew to his proper to parry one other bullet header from Bellingham after which denied Kane from a nook with the final motion of the primary half.
After a vibrant begin to the second interval, England have been starting to expire of concepts till Tuchel unloaded his offensive weapons off the bench.
Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze have been despatched on by Tuchel searching for an equaliser.
And it was new Barcelona signing Gordon who offered the cross as Kane lastly discovered a well past Mpasi with a downward header quarter-hour from time.
Gordon additionally acquired the help for the 86th minute winner, however Kane did the onerous work as he rifled a robust drive into the roof of the online for his 84th worldwide objective.
