England captain Harry Kane scored two late goals to send his team through to the last 16 of the World Cup, sparking scenes of jubilation at the Freight Island fan zone in Manchester. The 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo came after a tense match that saw fans endure more than an hour of frustration.
Early High Spirits Dashed by Congo's Quick Goal
Fans started the evening in high spirits, many heading to the We Are Football Festival fan zone straight from work or bringing children for the 5pm kick-off. However, the cheers of 'it's coming home' were silenced when DR Congo scored in the 7th minute.
What followed was more than an hour of disbelief and frustration, with fans letting out their anger as it appeared England might be eliminated by the African side.
Kane's Heroics Spark Wild Celebrations
But when Kane scored in the 75th and 86th minutes, the fan zone erupted. Fans threw pints into the air, hoisted friends and children onto their shoulders, and celebrated the late comeback. At the final whistle, roars and chants of 'Harry, Harry Kane' and 'it's coming home' filled the air.
Reactions Beyond the Fan Zone
The tension was not confined to Freight Island. At Fusion Sports Bar in Timperley, Man United supporter Nik Southworth said: “They made it hard work, but Kane is just brilliant. The defence looked shambolic every time Congo attacked. Why didn’t they take Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw?”
Huddersfield Town fan Dan Beck added: “They made such hard work of it, thank God for Kane. After watching France last night I was hoping England would put on a show. But they were pretty poor.”
Doncaster Rovers fan Steve McConnell commented: “Even Scotland defended better than that.”
Controversial Hydration Breaks Booed
Earlier in the evening, fans were heard booing the hydration breaks, a controversial pause in play that continues to divide opinion.
Kane's two late goals mean England advance to the last 16, where they will face Mexico at Azteca Stadium on Monday, July 6.
