Harry Kane struck twice late on as England avoided a World Cup upset, overturning DR Congo’s lead for a 2-1 victory that carried Gareth Southgate’s team into the next phase and highlighted how several players, not only the captain, are capable of producing decisive moments under heavy knockout pressure.

England trailed from the first half, when Brian Cipenga finished a DR Congo move that silenced many England supporters and left Southgate’s side staring at a round-of-32 elimination until the 75th minute, when Anthony Gordon’s left-sided cross found Kane, who guided a precise header beyond the goalkeeper to restore hope.

The turnaround was complete eleven minutes later as Gordon again located Kane inside the penalty area and the Bayern Munich forward smashed a rising shot into the roof of the net on 86 minutes, sealing a 2-1 win and underlining the impact of Barcelona’s recent signing, who created both goals from wide positions.

Kane’s brace made history for England, with the striker becoming the first player from the national team to score twice in a World Cup knockout tie since Gary Lineker achieved the same feat during the 1990 quarter-final against Cameroon, while Kane’s latest double also confirmed a sustained scoring streak in major tournament knockouts.

Across World Cup and European Championship knockout matches since Euro 2020, Kane has now registered 10 goals in 11 appearances, more than any other European player during that spell, with Kylian Mbappe next on the list with seven strikes, and this match also marked just the second occasion England have won a World Cup game after conceding first, following the 4-2 extra-time success against Germany in the 1966 final.

Statistics from Opta highlighted Kane’s late influence, noting that the captain became the first England player to score twice from the 75th minute onward in regulation time at a World Cup, further illustrating how England’s approach, which remained patient despite earlier frustration, eventually broke down DR Congo’s organised defensive structure.

Kane’s overall World Cup record also moved into an elite bracket, with the forward now joint-sixth on the tournament’s all-time scoring list alongside Just Fontaine on 13 goals, leaving Lionel Messi, Mbappe, Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo Nazario and Gerd Muller as the only players ahead of the England captain.

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Harry Kane leadership for England World Cup campaign

Speaking to BBC Sport afterwards, Kane described the challenge posed by DR Congo and stressed the collective attacking quality within England’s squad, saying: “We were playing against a tough and organised team. After that first hydration break, we upped the level. The keeper made some unbelievable saves. But we had to keep going and the moments would come. Whether it’s me, Jude [Bellingham] or whoever, we have hero moments. You have to stay patient. The last couple of games were very similar. When you get to knockout football, the pressure is higher, but it’s about being ourselves. This week, we talked about how we had to keep being ourselves. From an attacking point of view, it’s the best performance so far. We are in the part of the tournament where we have to grind wins out. These rounds are just about getting through, as the boss said.”

At full-time, the Bayern Munich forward gathered the squad in a huddle for a brief address on the pitch and later explained the message to the group, saying: “I just told the boys to enjoy it. Sometimes, as an England player, when you go through these games where you’re expected to win, you don’t celebrate like you should. The same as every other nation, we’re through and we should enjoy it. Over 90 minutes, we’re tough to handle.”

Midfielder Elliot Anderson described Kane’s influence on the dressing room, recalling the same theme of enjoyment alongside focus, saying: “[Kane said] to enjoy it. We’re through the round of 16go and enjoy it, enjoy the fans, and then we’ll get our heads down and learn from it. We’ve just enjoyed it in the changing rooms, we’ll have a good night, and then we’ll get back on it. Big game players… we love these players and look to them to get us to the next round. We build the foundations and try to get them the ball, and they’ll do their stuff.”

England’s narrow victory over DR Congo combined individual brilliance, particularly from Kane and Gordon, with resilience in a tense knockout setting, maintained the team’s presence in the World Cup, extended Kane’s prominent scoring records, and reinforced the reliance on key attacking figures supported by a disciplined structure that aims to carry England further through the tournament’s later rounds.