Kane strikes twice to break DRC and fire England into last-16 against Mexico

Brian Cipenga opened the scoring in the seventh minute at the Atlanta Stadium.

The 28-year-old collected the ball on the left hand side of the England penalty area and fired a shot into the bottom left hand corner past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. England beats DRC. Full time score 2 - 1

England dominated possession in search of the equaliser. 

On the half hour mark, DRC goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi saved a Jude Bellingham header arcing into the top right hand corner.

Minutes later, DRC defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka blocked Marcus Rashford's shot on the line.

But as England pushed, Sébastien Desabre's men threatened on the counter-attack.

In the 43rd minute, Wan-Bissaka raced down the right wing and slid the ball into centre for Yoane Wissa but he stabbed it onto the post and it spun away for a goal kick.

Duly warned, England advanced again only to find Mpasi in imperious form.

He foiled Beliingham again and then kept out a volley from England skipper Harry Kane.

England make breakthrough

Mpasi continued his seemingly personal vendetta against Bellingham. 

Shortly after the restart, the Real Madrid mdifielder thrashed a shot towards goal that took a deflection off Wan-Bissaka but Mpasi managed to change his direction and palm the ball away.

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On the hour mark, England boss Thomas Tuchel changed his wingers.

Bukayo Saka came in on the right for Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke and on the left, Anthony Gordon replaced Marcus Rashford.

Desabre responded. The Montpellier striker Nathanael Mbuku came off and Meschack Elia entered.

But it was Gordon who proved the most effective. With 15 minutes remaining, he clipped the ball into the penalty area and Kane rose to power a header that Mpasi got a hand to but failed to keep out.

In the 86th minute, Gordon fed Kane who took a touch to gain some space and he lashed the ball high into the roof of the net past a motionless Mpasi.

His fifth goal of the tournament took England into a last-16 meeting with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on 5 July in Mexico City.

"We're in the part of the tournament where you have to grind wins out," said Kane. "And that's what we've done today.

"I've told the boys to enjoy the victory," he added. "Sometimes as an England player when you go through tough games like this - games that you're expected to win - you don't celebrate how you should.

"You know we're through. We're in a World Cup fighting for every moment and every little margin. I want the boys to enjoy it with the fans and we go again in four days."