Inglaterra vs RD Congo: Copa del Mundo 2026 último 32

David Hytner was at Atlanta Stadium, and his report is in. Here it is. Congratulations to England, commiserations to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and thanks to you for reading this MBM. Belgium v Senegal next! It never stops!

Thomas Tuchel speaks to the BBC. “You have to deal with situations as they come … it got very difficult because they got a very early goal … after the first water break there was three, four, five big chances … the penalty situation … we kept knocking … the reaction and belief was one of a kind … we found a way to win … it was well deserved … that is what we expect from [Harry Kane] … close matches, Harry is here to decide them … of course you want it easier … but these experiences also give you genuine belief … they are a team that is fully committed and full of belief.â€

Post-match postbag. “Utterly stupendous finish from Kane. I've been saying this for years but Kane is arguably England's best ever player. Baled us out here – he really shouldn't have scored from there†– Martin Gamage

“What a hurricane-force goal from Harry Kane! Quite superb finish. And to Tuchel's credit, the subs have played a role. Gordon has been instrumental and Eze got involved.
I'm not a fan of Hydration Breaks but by Jove they have served England well. They have played better in both second phases of the two halves†– Colum Fordham

“Whatever Tuchel says during these hydration breaks or at halftime, could I suggest the same pre-match?†– Sam Huscroft

“Nine in attack seems to be our best formation. You don't need defensive cohesion when you've got one at the back†– Dan Christmas

“Man of the Match? I'd give the nod to Anthony Gordon: his being in on Harry Kane's two goals made all the difference!†– Rick Keller-Scholz

“I've been watching the match with a group that includes a bunch of Icelandic kids, and they started out as England supporters, because they know a bunch of the players, but were won over by the Congolese team, and cried out in pain when the first and second English goals went in†– Kári Tulinius

Harry Kane, England's two-goal/five-goal/13-goal/84-goal hero, depending on how you want to frame it, talks to the BBC. “It feels amazing to be honest … what a crazy game … a tough team … organised … after that first hydration break, we upped the level and looked good … their keeper made some unbelievable saves in that first half … it was about pounding the rug … we have hero moments … for me it was today … when you get to the knockouts the pressure is higher … the risk is higher … from an attacking point of view it was our best game of the tournament so far … you have to grind wins out and we done that today … I told the boys to enjoy it … we're through … we go again in four days … over 90 minutes we're tough to handle … hopefully we can keep it going.â€

Those two goals have taken Harry Kane up to five goals in the chase for this year's Golden Boot. He's now on 13 World Cup goals in total, one more than Pelé and the same number as Just Fontaine, who to be fair got them all in a single tournament. Only five players in history have scored more: Lionel Messi (19), Kylian Mbappé (18), Miroslav Klose (16), Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Múller (14). That's not bad company to keep.

England now travel to Mexico for a round-of-16 tie with the co-hosts at the Azteca. The ground where their dream perished in 1986. Some wrongs to right there, very early on Monday morning. They'll need to play an awful lot better if they're to get a result this time. But for now they're through, and can take a huge sigh of relief.

England's fans roar with delight. Their players roar with relief. No great celebrations after dodging that bullet, though Thomas Tuchel is smiling broadly. England toiled for the majority of the match after Brian Cipenga shocked them early doors. They could have been two down at the break, Yoane Wissa missing a sitter from a couple of yards out. But if nothing else they kept pressing, and eventually Harry Kane's sheer quality saved the day. A poacher's header, followed by an unstoppable belter: what would England do without him? But they've got him, and now he's rallying the troops with a call to arms, before lining up for a sing-song. What's that line? “Maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me.†It sure is apt.

Harry Kane rescues England from ignominy, and now Mexico await!

90 min +7: Wissa loops a fine effort towards the top right, but it's always sailing over the bar. He could have done with being a couple of yards further out. That's surely that.

90 min +6: Wissa barges has way down the middle, and is unceremoniously upended by Bellingham, who is lucky to avoid a second yellow. One last chance for the DRC coming up. Wissa will take it himself.

90 min +4: Anderson takes the ball to the corner flag, and the clock is England's friend now.

90 min +2: Kane's shot whistled into the net at 94 km/h. Some way to decide the match, and to drag England out of the malodorous stuff.

90 min +1: Bongonda drives down the right and draws a foul from Gordon. Before the free kick can be taken, Rice, cramping up, is replaced by Stones.

90 min: There will be six additional minutes.

89 min: A double change for the DRC as Moutoussamy and Masuaku make way for Mayele and Joris Kayembe.

88 min: That was a hell of a strike. Absolutely, utterly unstoppable. The DRC defenders look distraught. So close but yet so far.

Extra time looms … but England may well have body-swerved it! Kane picks up possession from Gordon on the edge of the DRC box, his back to goal. He turns and arcs left to right along the front of the area, reaching the right-hand edge of the D, then lashing a rising shot into the top right! An absolute ripper!

85 min: Elia crosses from the left. Guehi heads the ball back to him. Elia tries a shot from the corner of the box, but doesn't catch it, and the ball dribbles through to Pickford.

83 min: … so having said that, the DRC spend a bit of time in England's half. Elia probes down the left, but can't get past Rice, who suddenly looks like England's best bet at right-back.

82 min: Bellingham worms his way down the left, reaches the byline and tries to force the ball through to O'Reilly, six yards out. But there are too many defenders in the way, and the ball's eventually hacked clear. England are pinning the DRC back, though.

80 min: Gordon pushes the ball past Mbemba on the left, hoping to instigate a footrace. Instead he runs slap-bang into the defender, who ambles off with the ball.

79 min: Anderson has a dig from 25 yards. His attempted curler into the top right is skied over the bar.

78 min: Bongonda's first act is to launch a long pass down the middle. Wissa is ahead of the back-tracking England defenders, but Pickford has read the danger and races from his box to clear.

77 min: The DRC make a double change, replacing Cipenga and Mukau with Bongonda and Kayembe.

When it arrives, it's so simple. Gordon chips in from the left. A little looper that finds Kane six yards out. Kane guides a header across Mpasi and into the left-hand side of the net. Mpasi gets a hand to it, but can't stop this one. England back in it!

73 min: The DRC clear the corner, but Cipenga hauls down Konsa, and it's a free kick. Rice, who had just taken the corner on the left, runs over to take this set piece on the right. It's all a waste of energy, as nothing comes of it.

72 min: Saka curls in from the right. Gordon prepares to head goalwards at the far stick, but Wan-Bissaka gets in ahead to flick out for a corner. Rice trots over to take.

71 min: The game restarts, with England having made an attacking substitution. Spence is replaced by Eze, with Rice filling the gap vacated at right-back.

70 min: Thomas Tuchel is giving his team quite the passionate team-talk. England are being told what's what. “If you've had enough of Heart of Darkness references,†writes James McVeigh, “maybe we could move on to England's hopes being Gone with the Wind in Atlanta.â€

68 min: … and that's drinks. ♬ ♪ ♫ Skol Skol Skol Skol! ♬ ♪ ♫

67 min: Konsa tugs at Wissa's shirt, to stop the DRC man tearing away down the left touchline. A foul, nothing more. Another possible yellow card, but the referee doesn't show one.

65 min: Saka crosses from the right. Kane can't win a header and the DRC counter through their new man Elia, who looks like winning a footrace down the right with O'Reilly, until the England man does well to battle back and nick the ball off him. That was a good duel.

64 min: The second corner is a non-event. Then the DRC make their first change, replacing the impressive Mbuku with Elia.

63 min: The corner's played short back up the flank. Mbuku cuts in from the right and aims for the top-left corner. Anderson eyebrows over the bar. That was heading in.

62 min: Mbuku advances down the right and wins a corner off O'Reilly. From which …

61 min: England make a double change, switching out their wingers. Off go Rashford and Madueke, on come Gordon and Saka.

59 min: Anderson comes clanking in on Sadiki. It should be a foul, and possibly a booking, but it ends up being neither. Kane then tries to play Rashford through but his attempted defence-splitter is intercepted.

58 min: Rashford swings a cross in from the left … miles over the bar. He puts his head in his hands. A few boos. A lot of English frustration.

56 min: Spence traps Masuaku near the right-hand corner flag, but the DRC defender spins and plays the ball off his England counterpart for a goal kick. “Is that Jan Tomaszewski in goal?†wonders Andrew Goudie.

54 min: Madueke crosses from the right. Rashford rises highest but plants his header miles over the bar. England are making chances. But they're not taking them. Mpasi a big factor in all of that, to be fair.

53 min: Now it's Bellingham's turn to shoot from a tight angle on the left. Or was the intention to cross? Either way, it's heading into the top-left corner, but Mpasi sticks up a strong hand to block. Another stunning save!

52 min: England immediately counter through Rashford, who enters the box from the left before lashing a drive into the side netting.

51 min: Mbuku has the opportunity to release Wan-Bissaka into acres of space down the right. He passes, but Guehi dives desperately to block. It's brilliant defending, because had he not stopped the crossfield ball, Wan-Bissaka was away, clear through on goal.

50 min: Before it can be taken, Kane shoves Mbemba to the ground. The referee gives both of them the what-for, and then the corner is taken, a complete waste of time.

49 min: O'Reilly wins a corner down the left. Rice wanders across to take. Once again he delivers long, and Bellingham prepares to head home at the far stick. But Masuaku is on point to head behind. Another Rice corner coming up, this time from the right.