Players of England (C) defend a free kick during the round of 32 match between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, the United States, July 1, 2026. (Photos: Xinhua)

ATLANTA, United States, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Harry Kane scored twice in the second half as England rallied from a goal down to beat DR Congo 2-1 and advance to the World Cup last 16 here on Wednesday.

DR Congo scored early and kept England's attack at bay for much of the contest. But England captain Kane rose to the occasion with two late goals, rescuing his side and denying what would have been one of the tournament's biggest upsets.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised his team's mentality after the match, saying his players never accepted defeat despite trailing for much of the game.

"This team never accepted defeat as the outcome," the German said. "It would have been so easy to give in. It would have been so easy to accept the narrative. But I didn't see any of that, and that is a good sign."

"That makes me very proud because the players did what was necessary. The game got tough today, but they showed up and we deserved the win, even if it came late," he added.

Fourth-ranked England had opened its Group L campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia before being held to a goalless draw by Ghana. The Three Lions sealed top spot in Group L and advanced to the round of 32 with a victory over Panama in its final group-stage match.

DR Congo, meanwhile, secured a place in the round of 32 from Group K after drawing with Portugal, narrowly losing 1-0 to Colombia and beating Uzbekistan to seal qualification.

Despite a significantly lower world ranking than England, DR Congo made a fearless start and took the game to its opponent from the opening whistle. In the seventh minute, space opened up on England's right flank, and striker Brian Cipenga latched onto a pass before slotting home unmarked to put DR Congo ahead.

England grew into the game in the closing stages of the first half, and both Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham came close to equalizing. Despite spending more time on the defensive, DR Congo continued to attack with confidence and linked up well going forward. In the 41st minute, star forward Yoane Wissa drove into the box and rattled the right post.

England piled on the pressure in stoppage time, with Bellingham and Kane both creating excellent scoring opportunities. But DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi once again came to the rescue, making a series of crucial saves to preserve his side's lead.

England continued to dominate possession after halftime, but struggled to turn its pressure into clear-cut chances. As the clock wound down, players grew increasingly anxious and the match became more tense.

Kane then emerged as England's hero, scoring twice in little more than 10 minutes to lead his side to a dramatic comeback victory.

The captain drew England level in the 75th minute with a header from close range after meeting a cross into the box.

Eleven minutes later, Kane produced a moment of individual quality, shaking off his marker on the edge of the box before firing a powerful shot into the roof of the net to complete the comeback.

Tuchel reserved special praise for Kane after the match. "It's incredible. Kane is so, so good," he said. "He's our captain, our leader, and he decides football matches with unbelievable finishes. Today he did it twice. The second goal was simply brilliant."

England will next face co-host Mexico in the round of 16 in Mexico City on Sunday. With Mexico enjoying the advantage of playing at high altitude as well as the backing of passionate home fans, Tuchel acknowledged that the clash would be a stern test for England.

"The altitude will, of course, be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It's simply impossible," Tuchel said.

"There may be more obstacles ahead, but we are ready for them."

Harry Kane (1st L) of England shoots and scores during the round of 32 match between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, the United States, July 1, 2026.

Fans cheer for team England after the round of 32 match between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, the United States, July 1, 2026.