England secured a place in the World Cup round of 16 after a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to avoid a major upset.

DR Congo took a shock lead through Brian Cipenga's early strike, exposing defensive frailties in Thomas Tuchel's side. The Three Lions struggled to break down a resilient Congolese defense, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi making several outstanding saves.

Tuchel's tactical decisions faced scrutiny, particularly his choice to field Djed Spence at right-back, which proved costly for the opening goal. The German coach made attacking substitutions in the second half, bringing on Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and Eberechi Eze.

Kane equalized with a header from Gordon's cross in the 75th minute, then smashed home the winner in the 86th minute. The victory sets up a daunting last-16 clash against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.

DR Congo's fairytale run ended, but they leave the tournament with their first-ever World Cup points and a memorable performance against one of the favorites. Tuchel praised his team's resilience, while Kane acknowledged the need for improvement.

Source: www.aljazeera.com