England 2-1 DR Congo Report: Kane Sends Three Lions Through

Harry Kane scores twice as England come from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 and reach the 2026 World Cup next round.

Last updated: 3 July 2026

England booked their place in the next round of the 2026 World Cup after a tense 2-1 comeback victory over DR Congo on Wednesday night. However, Thomas Tuchel’s men made hard work of what should have been a straightforward tie.

The Leopards shocked the Three Lions after just seven minutes when Cipenga opened the scoring. The early goal rattled England, who looked anxious and struggled to find their usual rhythm. While they dominated possession and created chances—generating over 1.30 xG in the first half, mainly from Jude Bellingham headers—the performance lacked fluency. England were also lucky not to go 2-0 down just before the break, when Yoane Wissa missed a massive opportunity worth 0.57 xG.

The anxiety carried into the second half. Marcus Rashford had a poor game on the wing, while Noni Madueke tried hard but faced heavy criticism, though he simply lacked a bit of composure in the final third. Seeing the game slip away, Tuchel made a double substitution, replacing both wingers with Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon.

The tactical move paid off brilliantly. Gordon changed the game, providing two excellent assists for Harry Kane. The captain had been largely anonymous until that point, but he delivered when it mattered most, scoring twice to take his World Cup tally to 13 goals.

England are through, but they will need to improve. They face Mexico next, with the match kicking off at 01:00 BST on Monday morning, 6 July, for viewers in the UK.

Bet Tip: England vs Congo

England are 2/7 to win the match with a -1.5 Asian Handicap. This seems a bit of an exaggeration against a Congo side that has consistently conceded under 0.90 xGA in all three of their matches, despite facing Portugal (1-1) and Colombia (a 1-0 defeat). They are a team with the quality to produce offensively, as shown when they secured qualification by beating Uzbekistan 3-1, racking up 19 shots and an xGF of 2.20 (including a penalty).

Congo’s squad features players competing in the world’s top leagues, with Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Masuaku, and Wissa being the most familiar names. They are a technically gifted and powerful side. In my view, they just lack a bit of “edge” or “savviness” to achieve greater success. If they had that, it would be tough to confidently back England to go through, even with their superior technical quality.

With an inspired Harry Kane on the pitch, England are a side capable of winning the World Cup. Without him, it is unlikely. He is the best player in the world right now, brilliantly fulfilling the roles of both a clinical finisher and a number 10. If he is tightly marked, England will need individual brilliance from others, which does not seem guaranteed. Bellingham is the only one I can see performing anywhere near Kane’s level. However, since Congo managed to neutralise Portugal’s stars, they could well make life difficult for England’s big names too.

England’s greatest strength has been their defence, which would have conceded one goal at most if not for an individual error. The team has allowed a total of just 1.50 xGA so far.

Defensively, both teams are very solid, and I expect the match to be decided on those terms. Therefore, I do not see England clearing their Asian Handicap line.

My Bet: Congo +1.5 Asian Handicap @ 19/20 on bet365

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