England left it late in Atlanta, but Harry Kane scored two crucial goals to beat DR Congo 2-1 and avoid a nightmare World Cup exit.
The match was an incredibly tense affair, with Thomas Tuchel's side toiling for large parts of the game. DR Congo took an early lead, with Brian Cipenga putting the underdogs ahead just seven minutes into the game. Cipenga's goal came after he strode into a huge amount of space on the left and fired past Jordan Pickford at his near post.
The Three Lions were all over the place before the first hydration break, but they did improve after that and forced goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi into a string of top saves. The second half was playing out terribly for England as they struggled to create much at all and their forwards looked out of ideas.
However, the hydration break again helped England, and substitute Anthony Gordon made an impact. Gordon found Kane with a cross from the left, and the captain nodded in the equaliser with 15 minutes to play.
Kane then received the ball from Gordon on 86 minutes and danced away from a couple of defenders on the edge of the box. He hammered a brilliant effort into the roof of the net from a tricky angle, breaking the hearts of the DR Congo players and securing a spot for England in the last 16.
England will now face Mexico at the Azteca in the next round. Despite their win, the Three Lions looked nothing like a team ready to win the World Cup. However, with Harry Kane on their side, they always have a chance in any match.
