ATLANTA — Harry Kane’s two goals saved the day for England, which was on the verge of being eliminated by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 32.
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Congo scored in the seventh minute and shocked a majority-England crowd into a tense silence. England looked disjointed and sloppy for much of the first half, while Congo was bright and creative with the ball and held England at bay defensively.
Then Kane, England’s all-time leading scorer, did what he does best.
After the second half’s hydration break — met with particularly thunderous boos here, where the stadium is indoors and air-conditioned — he scored the equalizer with a header in the 75th minute.
Eleven minutes later, Kane’s curling strike from just inside the 18-yard box flew into the upper corner of the net. 2-1 England thanks to Kane’s heroics, and the England fans could finally breathe.
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Next up for England? A meeting with Mexico, in Mexico City, on Sunday. See the full World Cup bracket here.
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