England came perilously close to an embarrassing elimination when DR Congo took an early lead through Brian Cipenga's seventh-minute strike. However, the match pivoted dramatically in the closing stages as captain Harry Kane scored twice within an 11-minute span to turn the game around and secure a 2-1 advance to the knockout phase.

The comeback underscored Kane's importance to the English side, demonstrating why he remains a decisive figure in the team's tournament aspirations. Despite being outplayed for much of the contest, England's resilience in the final period—powered by their most prolific finisher—allowed them to escape what would have been a damaging upset and progress deeper into the competition.