Harry Kane struck twice in the final quarter of an hour to drag England back from the brink of a humiliating World Cup exit, overturning an early deficit against DR Congo and sealing a 2-1 victory in Atlanta. The England captain headed in an Anthony Gordon cross in the 75th minute to level the scores, then thrashed a first-time finish past Lionel Mpasi four minutes from time, completing a comeback that had looked improbable for long stretches.

The match had begun disastrously for Thomas Tuchel’s side when Brian Cipenga fired Congo ahead in the seventh minute, exploiting space inside the England penalty area. For more than an hour, England laboured against a disciplined low block and a goalkeeper in inspired form; Mpasi made five saves, denying Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, while Yoane Wissa struck the post at the other end. The introduction of Gordon and Bukayo Saka on the hour mark proved decisive, with Gordon supplying both assists and injecting the urgency England had lacked.

Viewed from London, the result carried historical weight. It was the first time England had won a World Cup knockout match after conceding first since the 1966 final, ending a 60-year sequence of 17 defeats and five draws in such situations. Kane’s brace also rewrote the record books: his 13th goal at World Cup finals moved him past Pelé and into sixth place on the all-time list, while his 84th international strike drew him level with Ferenc Puskas. Across Europe, analysts noted that Kane’s 72 goals for club and country this season have now surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s best single-campaign return, leaving only Lionel Messi’s 82-goal 2011-12 season ahead of him.

The double thrust Kane into the thick of the Golden Boot race. He now has five goals at this tournament, level with Erling Haaland and one behind joint leaders Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, who each have six. With the knockout rounds compressing the field, the contest for the tournament’s top scorer is shaping as a subplot to the main draw.

England’s reward is a last-16 meeting with co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, a venue where El Tri have lost only twice in 89 matches and remain unbeaten in ten World Cup outings. Mexico have yet to concede a goal in the tournament, and the high-altitude setting will pose a physical test that Tuchel acknowledged his squad cannot fully adapt to in four days. The fixture, scheduled for Monday, will determine whether England’s revival in Atlanta was a one-off escape or the start of a deeper run.