Harry Kane turned a quiet match for England into a 2-1 win over DR Congo, scoring in the 75th and 86th minutes in the World Cup round of 32. The second goal put England ahead and sent the Three Lions through in the 2026 World Cup, where the knockout stage leaves no room for recovery once a lead is lost.
Harry Kane at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Kane’s first goal came in the 75th minute, a header that beat Lionel Mpasi and tied Pelé’s World Cup goals record at 12. Eleven minutes later, he struck again. That second finish made it 2-1 and gave England the result that had been out of reach for most of the match.
England and DR Congo
The match was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. England spent most of the game with mostly-silent fans in the stands and little to show for the pressure before Kane changed the scoreline twice in the final quarter of the contest.
That sequence mattered because the 2026 World Cup is the largest ever, with 48 teams and 16 host cities, but the round of 32 is where the bracket becomes single elimination. Once a team falls behind in that stage, there is no second leg, no regrouping, and no room for a late miss to be forgiven.
Pelé and the 12-goal mark
Kane’s first strike carried the extra weight of history even before the winner arrived. By reaching 12 World Cup goals, he matched a record held by Pelé, then passed it before the night was over. England’s route now depends on what that late surge unlocked: advancement from a match that looked stalled until the 75th minute, and a record that now sits with Kane alone.
