England advanced to the World Cup round of 16 after a 2-1 comeback victory against DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday night. The match saw Harry Kane score twice, overturning an early deficit.
DR Congo initially took the lead against pre-match predictions. A cross from the right found Brian Cipenga unmarked, who then fired a low shot into the bottom-left corner, beating Jordan Pickford. This early goal sent the Congolese supporters into celebration.
England created several opportunities to equalise. Around the half-hour mark, Declan Rice delivered a cross that Jude Bellingham headed towards the top-right corner, but Lionel Mpasi made a one-handed save. Five minutes later, Noni Madueke set up Marcus Rashford, whose close-range effort was cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Second half turnaround
Despite Thomas Tuchel’s instructions during the hydration break, Mpasi continued to deny England, preserving DR Congo’s lead with a series of saves. DR Congo nearly doubled their advantage when Wan-Bissaka’s cross found Yoane Wissa, whose shot hit the post.
England had a penalty appeal waved away when Harry Kane went down in the box under contact from Mpasi, with the referee and VAR ruling against the claim.
The breakthrough for England came in the 75th minute when Kane met Anthony Gordon’s cross with a header, finally beating Mpasi. Kane then secured the win with less than five minutes of regulation time remaining, taking a touch to move the ball away from Axel Tuanzebe before striking a right-footed shot into the net.
The match was a challenging one for England, with DR Congo displaying a fearless approach from the start. DR Congo engaged in passing combinations and counterpressed effectively, rattling England’s defence.
Early in the game, Chancel Mbemba initiated a move that led to Noah Sadiki running from midfield, drawing Djed Spence across. Ezri Konsa was drawn to Yoane Wissa, leaving Spence exposed, which allowed Brian Cipenga to score.
The first half saw some visible frustration among England players. Jude Bellingham was seen shouting towards the bench and received a booking after losing possession and clashing with Nathanaël Mbuku. Reece James was observed speaking with Bellingham during the first hydration break, and Pickford urged his teammates to calm down.
Tactical adjustments and future challenges
Thomas Tuchel made tactical changes during the second half, which contributed to England’s comeback. He replaced wingers Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford with Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. Later, Djed Spence was substituted, Declan Rice moved to right-back, and Eberechi Eze was introduced to add more attacking unpredictability.
The equalising goal involved Eze combining with Rice, who then crossed for Gordon. Gordon passed the ball into the middle for Kane to head past Mpasi. Gordon, who had struggled in previous group stage matches, provided two assists, including the pass that led to Kane’s winning goal in the 86th minute.
Despite the win, there is an acknowledgment that England will need to improve their performance for their next match. The team has not delivered a complete performance in their first four games and has appeared tired and unbalanced at times.
England will now face Mexico in their next match at the Azteca on Sunday night.
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Source: thehindu.com
