The England team defeated the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 in the round of 32 of the World Cup and secured their qualification for the round of 16, after a match in which they had difficulty winning.
In a match in which the English team showed little clarity, the African team played with order and personality for much of the 90 minutes and was close to advancing to the next round.
The Congo team opened the scoring within a minute 7, when Cipenga took advantage of a defensive inattention and defined with precision to beat the English goalkeeper. The team led by Thomas Tuchel had problems generating dangerous chances. Although they dominated possession of the ball during several passages of the match, they showed inaccuracy in the final meters.
However, in the complementary stage, England equalized in the 75th minute. Harry Kane won high inside the area and headed in after a cross from Anthony Gordon to establish the 1-1. After the tie, the European team increased the offensive pressure, while the Congo team maintained defensive order.
When the game seemed headed to overtime, Harry Kane scored the winning goal in the 86th minute. The forward, with a great individual play, took a powerful shot that slipped into the corner to the delirium of the English.
With this result, England advanced to the round of 16, although it left questions about their collective functioning and once again depended on Kane’s individual ability to resolve the match. In the round of 16, England will face Mexico in search of a place among the best eight in the tournament.