England narrowly escaped a historic upset in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fighting back from a goal down to defeat a resilient DR Congo 2-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Leopards stunned the Three Lions early in the match, opening the scoring in the 7th minute when Brian Cipenga drilled a low shot past Jordan Pickford after a far-post defensive error.
DR Congo’s disciplined low block and exceptional goalkeeping from Lionel Mpasi frustrated Thomas Tuchel’s side for most of the match, keeping England off the scoresheet by halftime.
England’s second-half structural adjustments and substitutions injected life into the attack. In the 75th minute, Anthony Gordon, a substitute, floated a precise cross from the left wing, allowing captain Harry Kane to glance a header into the net for the equaliser.
With extra time looming, Kane struck again in the 86th
