Key events<\/p>\n
David Hytner was at Atlanta Stadium, and his report is in. Here it is. Congratulations to England, commiserations to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and thanks to you for reading this MBM. Belgium v Senegal next! It never stops!<\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Thomas Tuchel speaks to the BBC. \u201cYou have to deal with situations as they come \u2026 it got very difficult because they got a very early goal \u2026 after the first water break there was three, four, five big chances \u2026 the penalty situation \u2026 we kept knocking \u2026 the reaction and belief was one of a kind \u2026 we found a way to win \u2026 it was well deserved \u2026 that is what we expect from [Harry Kane] \u2026 close matches, Harry is here to decide them \u2026 of course you want it easier \u2026 but these experiences also give you genuine belief \u2026 they are a team that is fully committed and full of belief.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Post-match postbag. \u201cUtterly stupendous finish from Kane. I\u2019ve been saying this for years but Kane is arguably England\u2019s best ever player. Baled us out here – he really shouldn\u2019t have scored from there\u201d \u2013 Martin Gamage<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a hurricane-force goal from Harry Kane! Quite superb finish. And to Tuchel\u2019s credit, the subs have played a role. Gordon has been instrumental and Eze got involved. \u201cWhatever Tuchel says during these hydration breaks or at halftime, could I suggest the same pre-match?\u201d \u2013 Sam Huscroft<\/p>\n \u201cNine in attack seems to be our best formation. You don\u2019t need defensive cohesion when you\u2019ve got one at the back\u201d \u2013 Dan Christmas<\/p>\n \u201cMan of the Match? I\u2019d give the nod to Anthony Gordon: his being in on Harry Kane\u2019s two goals made all the difference!\u201d \u2013 Rick Keller-Scholz<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been watching the match with a group that includes a bunch of Icelandic kids, and they started out as England supporters, because they know a bunch of the players, but were won over by the Congolese team, and cried out in pain when the first and second English goals went in\u201d \u2013 K\u00e1ri Tulinius<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Harry Kane, England\u2019s two-goal\/five-goal\/13-goal\/84-goal hero, depending on how you want to frame it, talks to the BBC. \u201cIt feels amazing to be honest \u2026 what a crazy game \u2026 a tough team \u2026 organised \u2026 after that first hydration break, we upped the level and looked good \u2026 their keeper made some unbelievable saves in that first half \u2026 it was about pounding the rug \u2026 we have hero moments \u2026 for me it was today \u2026 when you get to the knockouts the pressure is higher \u2026 the risk is higher \u2026 from an attacking point of view it was our best game of the tournament so far \u2026 you have to grind wins out and we done that today \u2026 I told the boys to enjoy it \u2026 we\u2019re through \u2026 we go again in four days \u2026 over 90 minutes we\u2019re tough to handle \u2026 hopefully we can keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Those two goals have taken Harry Kane up to five goals in the chase for this year\u2019s Golden Boot. He\u2019s now on 13 World Cup<\/a> goals in total, one more than Pel\u00e9 and the same number as Just Fontaine, who to be fair got them all in a single tournament. Only five players in history have scored more: Lionel Messi (19), Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 (18), Miroslav Klose (16), Ronaldo (15) and Gerd M\u00faller (14). That\u2019s not bad company to keep.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n England now travel to Mexico for a round-of-16 tie with the co-hosts at the Azteca. The ground where their dream perished in 1986. Some wrongs to right there, very early on Monday morning. They\u2019ll need to play an awful lot better if they\u2019re to get a result this time. But for now they\u2019re through, and can take a huge sigh of relief.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n England\u2019s fans roar with delight. Their players roar with relief. No great celebrations after dodging that bullet, though Thomas Tuchel is smiling broadly. England<\/a> toiled for the majority of the match after Brian Cipenga shocked them early doors. They could have been two down at the break, Yoane Wissa missing a sitter from a couple of yards out. But if nothing else they kept pressing, and eventually Harry Kane\u2019s sheer quality saved the day. A poacher\u2019s header, followed by an unstoppable belter: what would England do without him? But they\u2019ve got him, and now he\u2019s rallying the troops with a call to arms, before lining up for a sing-song. What\u2019s that line? \u201cMaybe you\u2019re gonna be the one that saves me.\u201d It sure is apt.<\/p>\n The players salute the England support after the final whistle. Photograph: Claudia Greco\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.09 EDT<\/p>\n FULL TIME: England 2-1 DR Congo<\/p>\n Harry Kane rescues England<\/a> from ignominy, and now Mexico await!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +7: Wissa loops a fine effort towards the top right, but it\u2019s always sailing over the bar. He could have done with being a couple of yards further out. That\u2019s surely that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +6: Wissa barges has way down the middle, and is unceremoniously upended by Bellingham, who is lucky to avoid a second yellow. One last chance for the DRC coming up. Wissa will take it himself.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +4: Anderson takes the ball to the corner flag, and the clock is England\u2019s friend now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +2: Kane\u2019s shot whistled into the net at 94 km\/h. Some way to decide the match, and to drag England<\/a> out of the malodorous stuff.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +1: Bongonda drives down the right and draws a foul from Gordon. Before the free kick can be taken, Rice, cramping up, is replaced by Stones.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min: There will be six additional minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89 min: A double change for the DRC as Moutoussamy and Masuaku make way for Mayele and Joris Kayembe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.59 EDT<\/p>\n 88 min: That was a hell of a strike. Absolutely, utterly unstoppable. The DRC defenders look distraught. So close but yet so far.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! England 2-1 DR Congo (Kane 86)<\/p>\n Extra time looms \u2026 but England<\/a> may well have body-swerved it! Kane picks up possession from Gordon on the edge of the DRC box, his back to goal. He turns and arcs left to right along the front of the area, reaching the right-hand edge of the D, then lashing a rising shot into the top right! An absolute ripper!<\/p>\n Harry Kane leathers England into the lead! Photograph: Siphiwe Sibeko\/Reuters Photograph: Odd Andersen\/AFP\/Getty ImagesHarry Kane\u2019s done it again! Photograph: Claudia Greco\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.35 EDT<\/p>\n 85 min: Elia crosses from the left. Guehi heads the ball back to him. Elia tries a shot from the corner of the box, but doesn\u2019t catch it, and the ball dribbles through to Pickford.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 min: \u2026 so having said that, the DRC spend a bit of time in England\u2019s half. Elia probes down the left, but can\u2019t get past Rice, who suddenly looks like England\u2019s best bet at right-back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 82 min: Bellingham worms his way down the left, reaches the byline and tries to force the ball through to O\u2019Reilly, six yards out. But there are too many defenders in the way, and the ball\u2019s eventually hacked clear. England<\/a> are pinning the DRC back, though.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 80 min: Gordon pushes the ball past Mbemba on the left, hoping to instigate a footrace. Instead he runs slap-bang into the defender, who ambles off with the ball.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min: Anderson has a dig from 25 yards. His attempted curler into the top right is skied over the bar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78 min: Bongonda\u2019s first act is to launch a long pass down the middle. Wissa is ahead of the back-tracking England<\/a> defenders, but Pickford has read the danger and races from his box to clear.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min: The DRC make a double change, replacing Cipenga and Mukau with Bongonda and Kayembe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! England 1-1 DR Congo (Kane 75)<\/p>\n When it arrives, it\u2019s so simple. Gordon chips in from the left. A little looper that finds Kane six yards out. Kane guides a header across Mpasi and into the left-hand side of the net. Mpasi gets a hand to it, but can\u2019t stop this one. England<\/a> back in it!<\/p>\n Harry Kane heads England level! Photograph: Claudia Greco\/ReutersHarry Kane lets it all out! relief for England. Photograph: Richard Pelham\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.40 EDT<\/p>\n 73 min: The DRC clear the corner, but Cipenga hauls down Konsa, and it\u2019s a free kick. Rice, who had just taken the corner on the left, runs over to take this set piece on the right. It\u2019s all a waste of energy, as nothing comes of it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 72 min: Saka curls in from the right. Gordon prepares to head goalwards at the far stick, but Wan-Bissaka gets in ahead to flick out for a corner. Rice trots over to take.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 71 min: The game restarts, with England<\/a> having made an attacking substitution. Spence is replaced by Eze, with Rice filling the gap vacated at right-back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 min: Thomas Tuchel is giving his team quite the passionate team-talk. England<\/a> are being told what\u2019s what. \u201cIf you\u2019ve had enough of Heart of Darkness references,\u201d writes James McVeigh, \u201cmaybe we could move on to England\u2019s hopes being Gone with the Wind in Atlanta.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 68 min: \u2026 and that\u2019s drinks. \u266c \u266a \u266b Skol Skol Skol Skol! \u266c \u266a \u266b <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Skol etc.Share<\/a><\/p>\n 67 min: Konsa tugs at Wissa\u2019s shirt, to stop the DRC man tearing away down the left touchline. A foul, nothing more. Another possible yellow card, but the referee doesn\u2019t show one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 min: Saka crosses from the right. Kane can\u2019t win a header and the DRC counter through their new man Elia, who looks like winning a footrace down the right with O\u2019Reilly, until the England<\/a> man does well to battle back and nick the ball off him. That was a good duel.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 min: The second corner is a non-event. Then the DRC make their first change, replacing the impressive Mbuku with Elia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 min: The corner\u2019s played short back up the flank. Mbuku cuts in from the right and aims for the top-left corner. Anderson eyebrows over the bar. That was heading in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 min: Mbuku advances down the right and wins a corner off O\u2019Reilly. From which \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 min: England<\/a> make a double change, switching out their wingers. Off go Rashford and Madueke, on come Gordon and Saka.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 min: Anderson comes clanking in on Sadiki. It should be a foul, and possibly a booking, but it ends up being neither. Kane then tries to play Rashford through but his attempted defence-splitter is intercepted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 58 min: Rashford swings a cross in from the left \u2026 miles over the bar. He puts his head in his hands. A few boos. A lot of English frustration.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56 min: Spence traps Masuaku near the right-hand corner flag, but the DRC defender spins and plays the ball off his England<\/a> counterpart for a goal kick. \u201cIs that Jan Tomaszewski in goal?\u201d wonders Andrew Goudie.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 54 min: Madueke crosses from the right. Rashford rises highest but plants his header miles over the bar. England<\/a> are making chances. But they\u2019re not taking them. Mpasi a big factor in all of that, to be fair.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 min: Now it\u2019s Bellingham\u2019s turn to shoot from a tight angle on the left. Or was the intention to cross? Either way, it\u2019s heading into the top-left corner, but Mpasi sticks up a strong hand to block. Another stunning save!<\/p>\n Lionel Mpasi makes yet another save! Photograph: Claudia Greco\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.21 EDT<\/p>\n 52 min: England<\/a> immediately counter through Rashford, who enters the box from the left before lashing a drive into the side netting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 min: Mbuku has the opportunity to release Wan-Bissaka into acres of space down the right. He passes, but Guehi dives desperately to block. It\u2019s brilliant defending, because had he not stopped the crossfield ball, Wan-Bissaka was away, clear through on goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 min: Before it can be taken, Kane shoves Mbemba to the ground. The referee gives both of them the what-for, and then the corner is taken, a complete waste of time.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not a fan of Hydration Breaks but by Jove they have served England well. They have played better in both second phases of the two halves\u201d \u2013 Colum Fordham<\/p>\n