Harry Kane scored two goals in the final 21 minutes to secure England's 2-1 comeback victory over DR Congo and advance the team to the World Cup Round of 16. DR Congo had taken a surprising early lead in the seventh minute through Brian Cipenga.
England's captain and all-time leading scorer equalized in the 75th minute with a header from an Anthony Gordon cross, despite the DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi getting a hand to the ball. Kane then scored the decisive goal eleven minutes later, evading defenders before firing a right-footed shot into the top-right corner.
These goals marked Kane's 83rd and 84th for England in his 118th appearance, extending his national record. In World Cup play, he now has 13 goals in 16 matches, surpassing Pelé's 12. He has scored five goals in four matches in the current tournament.
"It was just about pounding the rock, keep pounding the rock and our moment would come," Kane said after the match. "We spoke about people having hero moments. It can be anyone in the team … Whoever it is, we have hero moments, and for me it was the day."
England had only won one previous World Cup match after conceding the first goal, which occurred in the 1966 final against West Germany. DR Congo entered the match as significant underdogs against an England team that has reached at least the Round of 16 in six of the last seven World Cups. England was eliminated in the quarterfinals in the previous tournament in Qatar and finished fourth in 2018.
England is set to face Mexico in Mexico City in the Round of 16. A potential final against the United States is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, contingent on both teams winning their respective matchups.