England eyes were already looking towards a potential last 16 showdown with Mexico, but that was made to feel incredibly premature inside the opening 10 minutes.
Chancel Mbemba’s raking cross-field pass found the unmarked Brian Cipenga, who cut in and lasered an effort in at Jordan Pickford’s near post.
England’s response to falling behind was non-existent, but they did almost get the stroke of fortune they so desperately craved when Declan Rice’s delivery ricocheted off an unknowing Ezri Konsa, drifting just wide of the target.
The hydration break helped Thomas Tuchel’s men regroup, and they created a gilt-edged chance to equalise soon after. Noni Madueke got to the byline and put the ball into a dangerous area, allowing Marcus Rashford to fire a low effort at goal, but his strike was cleared off the line by former Manchester United teammate Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Yet for all the positivity England’s 15-minute period of dominance garnered, Yoane Wissa almost placed the game beyond them when he crashed a close-range effort against the outside of the post.
Thomas Tuchel’s men were left to rue some rotten luck of their own twice before half-time, first when Harry Kane felt he’d been felled in the area by the onrushing Lionel Mpasi, only for both the referee and VAR to disagree, and secondly when Kane’s thunderous volley at the far post was repelled by the unbeatable Mpasi.
Chances were now coming thick and fast for Tuchel’s men, and the half-time break didn’t stem their momentum either, with Rashford squandering a glorious opportunity within 10 minutes of the restart when he hammered a left-footed effort into the side netting.
England pressure could hardly be billed as relentless as time ticked away, but their go-to man popped up with a huge moment 15 minutes from time when Kane guided Anthony Gordon’s cross back across goal and into the far corner.
And it was England’s record World Cup goalscorer who provided the telling moment in the 86th minute, unleashing a rocket into the roof of Mpasi’s net from the edge of the area after Jude Bellingham had initially been denied.
That goal was ultimately enough to fire the Three Lions into the last 16, where they face a daunting clash with Mexico at the famous Azteca. As for D.R. Congo, a memorable tournament comes to an end with defeat in their first-ever knockout match.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (England)
