England's comeback hinges on Kane's second‑half double

Harry Kane delivered a decisive second‑half performance as England overturned a seventh‑minute deficit against DR Congo to clinch a place in the World Cup round of 16, with the Bayern Munich striker netting two goals and earning Man of the Match honours. DR Congo seized an early advantage when Brian Cipenga scored in the seventh minute, putting the Leopards ahead and forcing England onto the back foot. The early goal set the tone for a tightly contested opening period. Following the opening strike, England dominated possession while the Congolese side retreated into a deep defensive block. The match became one‑way traffic as England pressed forward and DR Congo held firm behind their line. The deadlock was broken in the 75th minute when Kane rose to meet an Anthony Gordon cross and headed the ball into the net. The goal restored parity and shifted momentum toward the English side.

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Seven minutes later, Kane doubled his tally by unleashing a powerful shot from inside the box in the 86th minute, delivering the decisive blow. The strike secured England's victory and the coveted last‑16 spot. Kane's two‑goal display earned him the Man of the Match award. His contribution was hailed as the key factor in overturning the early deficit.

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After the match, Kane praised the opposition keeper, saying, “What a crazy game, their keeper made some unbelievable saves in that first half.” He added, “From an attacking point of view, it was probably our best game of the tournament so far. We’re in the part of the tournament where you have to grind wins out, and that’s what we did today.” The result secured England’s progression to the knockout phase of the tournament under manager Thomas Tuchel.