England secured their spot in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup today, mounting a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat a resilient Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Leopards stunned the Three Lions early in the match, taking an unexpected lead in just the seventh minute when Brian Cipenga found the back of the net. The early strike injected immense pressure into the round-of-32 clash, forcing England to chase the game under the roof in Atlanta.
As the clock ticked down and tensions mounted, it was England’s captain who stepped up to save the day. Harry Kane spearheaded the dramatic comeback, leveling the score in the 75th minute before hammering home the match-winner in the 86th minute. The crucial brace brings Kane’s remarkable World Cup career tally to 13 goals.
Read more: World Cup: Mexico dominates Ecuador to secure round of 16 berth (with video)
With the hard-fought victory, the Three Lions officially advance to the round of 16, where an electric atmosphere awaits them.
England will travel to Mexico City this Sunday to face tournament co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca. The highly anticipated matchup was locked in after El Tri broke their 40-year knockout curse on Tuesday by comfortably brushing aside Ecuador with a 2-0 victory.
