England survived a Lionel M masterclass and rolled on to the Azteca, with Harry Kane scoring a late double to secure a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the World Cup last-32.
First-half struggle
England trailed 1-0 at half-time after a confident DR Congo side took the lead. Anthony Barry, Thomas Tuchel's assistant, urged calm in his half-time debrief, saying it was "absolutely not a time to panic" and warned against "gung-ho football." However, a BBC statistic showed the last time England won a World Cup match after conceding first was the 1966 final against West Germany.
Kane's heroics
Harry Kane turned the game around with two goals, turning a potential repeat of Iceland 2016 into Slovakia 2024. This was England's 10th knockout victory at a major tournament in eight years; the previous 40 years produced just six. Kane has scored 11 knockout goals in five tournaments. Tuchel, discussing Kane and Ballon d'Or contenders, said: "They're all sharks. If they smell blood, they come and score."
Up next: Mexico at the Azteca
England face Mexico in the early hours of Monday BST at the Azteca, where the co-hosts are unbeaten in 10 World Cup games at altitude. Tuchel urged support: "Let them watch. There will be a big, big match in four days and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children."
Other matches and reactions
The last-32 continues with Spain vs Austria, Portugal vs Croatia, and Switzerland vs Algeria. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia praised his team's grit after a 3-2 comeback win over Senegal, saying: "I don't know why they were arguing but I like that – we need that kind of grit on the pitch."
