FIFA World Cup

Round of 32

ENG England England - COD Congo DR Congo DR

England England

Congo DR Congo DR

H. Kane
86'
H. Kane
75'

7'
B. Cipenga

Atlanta Stadium(Sold out)

Adham Mohammed Tumah Makhadmeh

Full-time: England 2-1 DR Congo

Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions complete a second-half turnaround to reach the round of 16 courtesy of a second-half Harry Kane brace. England were a much-changed side after the interval, showing much more quality in attacking areas. The double substitution to introduce Saka and Gordon proved decisive as the latter provided both assists for Kane's strikes, but it was the Bayern man who made the difference for England. DR Congo fought valiantly, especially in the first half, but ultimately their World Cup journey has come to an end here in Atlanta.

End of second half

Full-time

90'

+ 6

Narrowly over

Wissa forces a foul from Bellingham right on the edge of the England box. The Newcastle United striker takes the set-piece, but curls the effort over the crossbar.

90'

+ 2

Stoppage time

Another six additional minutes have been indicated at the end of the second 45. Stones replaces Rice for England.

90'

+ 1

Substitution

John Stones

Declan Rice

90'

Final changes

DR Congo make their final substitutions of the game as they chase a late equaliser. Mayele and Kayembe replace Wissa and Masuaku.

89'

Substitution

Fiston Mayele

Samuel Moutoussamy

89'

Substitution

Joris Kayembe

Arthur Masuaku

Kane at the double!!!

The Bayern man has done it again! Bellingham has a one-on-one saved by Mpasi but Gordon retrieves the loose ball and lays it off for Kane on the edge of the box. Kane takes the ball past his marker before rifling it high into the top right corner to send the England fans into raptures! The England captain completes the turnaround.

86'

Harry Kane

GOAL!

2:1

Assist:A. Gordon

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

10 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

17.24 m

82'

No way through

Bellingham slaloms down the byline from the left side and attempts to cut it back to O'Reilly, but there are too many bodies between the pair and DR Congo manage to scramble it to safety.

79'

Roof of the net

From distance, Anderson lets fly with a powerful right-footed effort. It's always dipping, but can't quite drop in time and lands on top of the net.

77'

Desabre responds

Immediately after conceding, the Congolese manager makes a double substitution, introducing Bongonda and Kayembe for goalscorer Cipenga and Mukau.

76'

Substitution

Théo Bongonda

Brian Cipenga

76'

Substitution

Edo Kayembe

Ngal'Ayel Mukau

Kane levels it for England!

England are back level and who else but Kane?! After a prolonged spell of attacking pressure, Gordon floats a cross into the six-yard box where the England captain rises highest and glances a header past Mpasi. England have lift-off!

75'

Harry Kane

GOAL!

1:1

Assist:A. Gordon

Goal probability

16 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

8.13 m

71'

Tuchel rolls the dice

With the hydration break having come to a close, Tuchel responds by making another substitution, introducing attacking midfielder Eze for defender Spence as England seek a way back into this game.

70'

Substitution

Eberechi Eze

Djed Spence

68'

Hydration break

The second half is halted to allow both sets of players to rehydrate.

65'

First Conogolese change

Desabre makes his first substitution of the day, withdrawing Mbuku for Elia on the right flank.

64'

Substitution

Meschack Elia

Nathanaël Mbuku

Mbuku lets fly

DR Congo's No.7 cuts in off the right flank and aims a shot from distance towards the top left corner. Anderson is there to head it over the bar, however, conceding a corner upon which the Congolese don't manage to capitalise.

Fresh legs out wide

Thomas Tuchel is the first of the managers to look to the bench, introducing Saka and Gordon for Madueke and Rashford out wide. Will the changes bring England renewed attacking impetus out on the wings?

61'

Substitution

Bukayo Saka

Noni Madueke

61'

Substitution

Anthony Gordon

Marcus Rashford

57'

England unfortunate

xGoals

The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).

The xG values indicate that the Three Lions are unfortunate not to have scored a goal. Mpasi has continued his first-half heroics between the sticks for DR Congo.

xGoals

1.13

0.64

Goals

Creeping in

Bellingham looks to deliver a cross from the left flank. It takes a huge deflection off a DR Congo defender, which nearly carries it into the net at the near post, but Mpasi reacts brilliantly to adjust and claw it off the goal-line.

Side netting

Bellingham sends Rashford running down the left channel. The winger gets past his man before drilling a low, left-footed shot towards the near post, but he can only find the side netting.

51'

Quickfire corners

Rice has three corners in quick succession, but none of his deliveries find any takers from his teammates in the middle.

48'

Overcooked

Anderson wins the ball back high up the pitch but his pass in behind for Bellingham to chase is too powerful and goes behind for a goal-kick.

46'

Back underway!

DR Congo get the ball back rolling for the second 45 here in Atlanta, Georgia. Neither manager has elected to make any alterations at the break.

Kick-off!

Half-time: England 0-1 DR Congo

The referee calls a halt to the first half and it's the central African nation which head in at the break with their noses in front. DR Congo took a deserved lead through Cipenga inside 10 minutes, who netted his first international goal. England looked to respond and improved after the hydration break, with Bellingham enjoying the best of the Three Lions' chances, but Congo proved they're not satisfied with a one-goal advantage, when Wissa rattled an effort off the woodwork late on. Harry Kane thought he had a penalty, but it was waived away by VAR, meaning England and Thomas Tuchel have work to do in the second half if they're to avoid early elimination from the tournament.

Half-time

45'

+ 6

Rice delivers

The England midfielder delivers yet another deep corner towards the far corner where Harry Kane is waiting to meet it on the volley. The Bayern man strikes it well on the volley, but again the Congolese hero between the sticks, Mpasi, pulls off an excellent parry to deny him.

45'

+ 3

Bellingham denied

Mpasi makes a magnificent save to deny Bellingham! Once again, an England cross from the right finds the Real Madrid man, whose header is brilliantly kept out by M'Pasi with a superb reflex save.

45'

+ 2

Stoppage time

A minimum of six additional have been indicated.

No penalty!

Kane is sent in behind the Congolese backline before going down in the box under a challenge from the onrushing Mpasi. England scream for a penalty and there is a VAR check, but the referee's original decision is upheld and Bayern man is not awarded a spot-kick.

43'

How did that stay out?!

DR Congo will feel they should have doubled their advantage! Wan-Bissaka fires a cross in from the right flank. It takes a big deflection off O'Reilly, which takes it into the path of Wissa. The Newcastle forward has the whole of the goal to aim for, but he can only hit the outside of the right post. Huge let off for England!

41'

No takers

Mbuku wins a corner off O'Reilly, but DR Congo don't manage to make anything of the set piece.

39'

Headed to safety

Rice delivers another set piece from the left side just outside the penalty area, but the DR Congo players stand firm and clear the danger collectively.

36'

Off the line!

Better from England. Madueke does excellently down the right byline from where he digs out a cross into the middle. O'Reilly can't get the connection he wants on it, but it falls to Rashford, who strikes first time. Mpasi was out of position, but his former teammate Wan-Bissaka is there to clear it off the line.

34'

Cipenga threatening

Goalscorer Cipenga is causing England all sorts of problems down the left flank. He dances past a couple of defenders and whips in a cross from the byline. Guéhi gets his head to it just in time, preventing Wissa from getting a shot away behind him. It was a crucial piece of defending from the England centre-back.

Bellingham forces the save

England continue to turn up the pressure as Spence delivers a cross from deep into the area behind the Congolese back line, where Bellingham comes flying in and powers a header toward the bottom-right corner. However, Mpasi springs across and pulls off an excellent save.

29'

Agonisingly wide for Konsa

From the resultant free-kick, Rice delivers a low cross. It bounces just in front of Konsa, who seemingly hadn't anticipated the ball reaching him, and allows it to bounce off his right knee. Even so, the contact nearly takes the ball past Mpasi and into the right side of the goal, but ultimately it whistles just past the right post.

28'

Sadiki booked

The DR Congo midfielder sees yellow for a late challenge on Spence.

28'

Yellow card

Noah Sadiki

26'

Back underway

Both sets of players have rehydrated and play continues.

23'

Hydration break

The referee calls a halt to proceedings to allow both sets of players to take on fluids.

First yellow

Bellingham clatters into Mbuku near the halfway line in a challenge which earns the midfielder the first booking of the game.

19'

Yellow card

Jude Bellingham

17'

Bellingham sought

After some patient build-up play from England, another right-footed cross is sent in from the left by Rashford. It's aimed towards former BVB midfielder Bellingham but Mpasi does excellently to rush off his line and punch it clear.

15'

In by Rice

England's No.4 stands over his first corner of the game. The Arsenal man swings it in from the left, but it sails over everyone's heads in the middle and trickles behind for a DR Congo goal-kick.

Masuaku down

Pickford sends a long ball into the Congolese penalty area, where goalkeeper Mpasi clatters into his teammate Masuaku, bringing play to a brief halt for an injury. Masuaku has since returned to his feet, however, and seems set to continue.

DR Congo stun England!

The central African nation fire themselves to an early lead here in Georgia. Mbemba picks out Cipenga with a switch of play from right to left and the Congolese forward, in acres of space, simply cuts in off the left flank, beats Spence and slots the ball home at the near post, catching Pickford out with the quickly-taken shot. 1-0 DR Congo! That was Cipenga's first ever international goal. What a time to grab it!

Brian Cipenga

GOAL!

0:1

Assist:C. Mbemba

Goal probability

6 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

16.49 m

Towards the far post

Rashford cuts in off the left flank and aims a cross towards Madueke, who is arriving at the far post. However, the Arsenal man can't quite get there and the ball bounces harmlessly behind for a DR Congo goal-kick.

And we're off!

The referee puts the whistle to his lips and Kane gets the ball rolling for this round of 32 tie.

Kick-off!

Anthems in full swing

Both sets of players and fans have been belting out their country's respective national anthems.

Mexico await

After their 2-0 round of 32 victory over Ecuador, the tournament's co-hosts will face either England or DR Congo in the round of 16 on 6 July in Mexico City.

Warming up

Both sets are being put through their paces with half an hour left until kick-off...

More on that England team

Thomas Tuchel has made three changes to his team England team that beat Panama. With Bayer Leverkusen's Quansah injured, Spence comes in at right-back while Rice and Madueke replace Rogers and Saka.

More on that DR Congo team

Sébastien Desabre makes one change to his team that beat Uzbekistan with Ngal'ayel Mukau replacing Cedric Bakambu.

Starting line-up: England

Formation:4-2-3-1

England subs

Henderson, Trafford, Stones, Chalobah, Burn, James, Quansah, Saka, Henderson, Mainoo, Rogers, Eze, Gordon, Watkins, Toney

Starting line-up: Congo DR

Formation:4-3-3

DR Congo subs

Fayulu, Epolo, Kapuadi, Batubinsika, J. Kayembe, Kalulu, Bongonda, Elia, Tshibola, Pickel, E. Kayembe, Kakuta, Bakambu, Mayele, Banza

11:47

Watch: The best of Harry Kane

Enjoy some of the Bayern superstar's best moments in the Bundesliga ahead of this encounter.

Quansah out

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Jarrell Quansah will play no part here after picking up an injury that forced him off against Panama. Fellow right-back Reece James is also unavailable, leaving Tuchel with a dilemma.

Kane the history maker

With his goal in the win over Panama, Harry Kane has now scored 11 World Cup goals in his career - more than any other England player. Including the Euros, he has 18 goals at major tournaments, also a national record.

Head-to-head record

England and DR Congo meet for the first time in Atlanta on Wednesday. Only once before have the Three Lions faced two African teams at the same World Cup (Egypt and Cameroon in 1990, when they were beaten on penalties by West Germany in the semi-finals).

How they got here: DR Congo

A 1-1 draw with Portugal earned the African side their first ever World Cup point, but a 1-0 defeat to Colombia left them needing to beat Uzbekistan in their final Group K game to reach the knockout stages as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams. They did so in dramatic fashion, recovering from a goal down to triumph 3-1 and set up a last-32 meeting with Thomas Tuchel’s charges.

How they got here: England

The Three Lions followed up an impressive 4-2 win over Croatia with a goalless draw against Ghana, but those four points were enough to secure their place in the round of 32 with a group game to spare. Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Panama ensured they advanced as Group L winners.

Welcome!

Follow all of the action as England take on DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32, kicking off at 6pm CEST in Atlanta.