THANK goodness for Harry Kane. England’s greatest centre-forward? Surely, there is no debate now. From a position where his side were staring down the barrel of perhaps their greatest-ever World Cup embarrassment, Kane single-handedly turned things around to set up a last-16 clash against Mexico.
England were reeling in Atlanta, ripped apart by a DR Congo side who exploited the defensive weaknesses that had been apparent in Thomas Tuchel’s side in the group stage and seemingly devoid of attacking ideas as their increasingly desperate efforts were denied by an inspired Lionel Mpasi in the Congo goal.
They needed inspiration. They needed a match-winner. Thankfully, they had Kane. The England captain levelled things as he headed home Anthony Gordon’s cross, with the former Newcastle United winger also playing a major role in turning things around after leaving the bench.
Then, after Gordon rolled the ball into him with five minutes left, Kane struck again, driving the ball into the right of the box before hammering an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net. The goals took Kane past Pele on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list. Just as Brazil were repeatedly indebted to their own hero, so England remain utterly reliant on Kane.
Tuchel will certainly be praising his skipper as, prior to Kane transforming the game, the England boss’ selection decisions had backfired spectacularly. Djed Spence, preferred in the squad to Trent Alexander-Arnold, was completely out of his depth at right-back, badly at fault for Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute opener, which also owed much to some poor goalkeeping from Jordan Pickford.
Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford, Tuchel’s choices on the flanks, were equally wretched before they were hauled off on the hour mark. England, floundering and flawed, were heading out.
Kane, pretty much single-handedly, ensured the journey would continue, inspiring England to their first come-from-behind success at a World Cup since the 1966 final against West Germany. Yes, the Three Lions will have to be a whole lot better when they face Mexico in the Azteca in the last-16 in the early hours of Monday morning. With Kane in their ranks, they will always have a chance.
How DR Congo will be rueing their own missed opportunity. England’s porous defence had been a source of concern throughout the group stage, but the complete breakdown that led to them conceding after just seven minutes was still startling.
With Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi being sucked towards the ball as a deep cross was delivered from the right, Spence felt compelled to move infield himself rather than stick with his man at the back post.
Cipenga was left completely unmarked as a result, and after bringing the ball down, the winger, who plays his club football in the Spanish second tier, fired a low drive past Pickford at the near post. The Wearsider should have saved the shot, but could only get a weak hand to the ball as it flew past him.
England’s players were rattled, arguing amongst themselves and playing their team-mates into trouble as DR Congo’s players pressed aggressively high up the field. By the time the first-half hydration break arrived, England had not even had a single touch in the DR Congo box. Rarely has a side more badly needed a drinks break in an air-conditioned stadium.
The resumption of play brought about an immediate England improvement. First, Declan Rice picked out Jude Bellingham, only for Mpasi to beat away the midfielder’s header. Then, after Noni Madueke broke past Sunderland’s Arthur Masuaku and found Marcus Rashford at the back post, the Manchester United forward’s shot was blocked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Still, though, England’s defence was malfunctioning. Cipenga had the beating of Spence every time he got the ball, and when Wan-Bissaka broke forward and crossed from the opposite flank, Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa stabbed a first-time effort against the post.
That was a let-off for England, but Congo’s players had a huge escape of their own just before the break. Kane broke into the box, and while he was probably looking for the foul, England’s captain was clearly caught by Mpasi’s sprawling arm. It looked a stonewall penalty, but the Jordanian referee suggested that Kane had dived and, amazingly, VAR agreed. To rub further salt into the wound, Mpasi made brilliant point-blank saves from both Bellingham and Kane in first-half stoppage time.
With Sunderland’s Noah Sadiki running things at the heart of midfield, England continued to toil for much of the second half. Tuchel needed to change something, and turned to his bench, bringing on Gordon, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze. Not for the first time this tournament, England’s squad depth proved crucial.
Gordon immediately brightened things up down the left, and when he crossed in the 75th minute, Kane headed home. Eleven minutes later, and England’s skipper was also firing home the winner.
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