ATLANTA: Captain Harry Kane struck two superb late goals so England could beat DR Congo 2-1 in the World Cup Round of 32 after early defensive muddles had left them teetering on the brink of elimination against determined opponents.

England will now play cohosts Mexico in the Estadio Azteca on Sunday after the second-half introductions of Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze had supported the magnificent Jude Bellingham in increasing the momentum and finally turning the tie around.

Kane produced another match-winning performance, equalising with a 75th-minute header before thundering home an awesome winner four minutes from time after England had trailed for more than an hour.

Brian Cipenga had given the Congolese a shock seventh-minute lead before Kane delivered his heroics to save his team from an ​ignominious defeat.

He said: “It was amazing. What a crazy game. They were a tough team, well organised. Their goalkeeper made some unbelievable games. We upped the level after the first hydration break then you have to stay patient. When you get to knockout football the pressure is higher but from an attacking point of view that was our best game so far.”

Kane has now scored an England record 13 World Cup goals, one more than Pele.

Manager Thomas Tuchel said: “First shot, first goal. Then, it became even more difficult. After the first water break, we were on top of ​the game. The substitutes came on, and put the effort in, and we won it. It was well deserved, but we had to work a lot.”

Cipenga struck home a powerful right-footed shot from a tight angle after being unmarked on the left, beating Jordan Pickford at the near post. It came from a long ball from ​Congo skipper Chancel Mbemba that went over the head of Noah Sadiki and defender Djed Spence to allow the 28-year-old to put the Congolese ​ahead with his first international goal.

England might have had a fortuitous equaliser 21 minutes later when Declan Rice’s free kick ‌hit a ⁠defender’s knee and went narrowly wide but an even better delivery from Rice saw Jude Bellingham’s on-target header repelled by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi’s one-handed save.

Outstanding saves

England’s pressure in an incident-packed first half continued with Marcus Rashford’s shot cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mpasi making instinctive stops to deny Bellingham and Kane, who also had a penalty appeal waved away.

The Congolese had a chance to increase their lead in the 43rd minute when ​Wan-Bissaka’s cross was steered on to ​the post by Yoane Wissa.

Mpasi’s ⁠heroics continued with a one-handed stop to deny Bellingham early in the second half and England looked increasingly frustrated as Congo’s defenders comfortably dealt with their attacks, prompting several touchline rants at his players by manager ​Thomas Tuchel who also rang the changes.

The wall finally broke in the 75th minute as the 32-year-old ​Kane found space in ⁠the penalty area to head home substitute Anthony Gordon’s cross.

His next effort, a strike travelling at almost 100 km per hour, was a spectacular winning goal as he drifted across the edge of the Congolese box before shooting home.

###