The Atlanta thriller had England's fans on the edge of their seats as Harry Kane conjured up two late goals to turn the tables in a 3-2 World Cup last-32 win over DR Congo. With just 15 minutes to go, it seemed like disaster was looming – but then came the heroics of England's talismanic captain, who proved why he's renowned for his clutch performances.
Kane powered a header past Lionel Mpasi in the DR Congo goal, sparking a frenzy of hope among the England camp. The equaliser sent shivers down the spines of the travelling fans, but they knew the drama was far from over. And then, with four minutes on the clock, Kane struck again – unleashing a stunning right-foot shot high past Mpasi to secure the winning goal. It was pandemonium as England erupted in celebration.
The win was a lifeline for England's World Cup ambitions and a major reprieve for head coach Thomas Tuchel, who would have faced intense scrutiny had they crashed out at this stage. The FA will also be breathing a collective sigh of relief – their faith in the German now somewhat vindicated as England progresses to the knockout stages.
Kane's statistics from the match are truly remarkable: five goals in this World Cup already puts him firmly in the Golden Boot mix alongside global superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi. He's now joint sixth on the all-time World Cup scorers list with 13 goals – moving above Pele in the process – and his England tally is a staggering 84, levelling him with Ferenc Puskas in ninth on the all-time international scorers list. What's more, he becomes the first England player to score twice in a World Cup knockout match since Gary Lineker in 1990.
Next up for England is another testing encounter – this time against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The team will be hoping to build on this momentum, with Kane once again expected to lead from the front and inspire his teammates to even greater heights.