The Three Lions were on the brink of disaster but Harry Kane stepped up to score two goals and secure a 2-1 win over DR Congo.

What happened?

England got off to a terrible start, with Brian Cipenga putting DR Congo ahead. The team struggled to find their footing, but Kane's goals in the 75th and 86th minutes turned the game around.

Player ratings

The Mirror's Chief Football Writer John Cross rated the England players, with Kane receiving an 8 out of 10 for his heroic performance. | Player | Rating | | --- | --- | | Jordan Pickford | 4 | | Djed Spence | 4 | | Ezri Konsa | 5 | | Marc Guehi | 5 | | Nico O’Reilly | 5 | | Declan Rice | 7 | | Elliot Anderson | 6 | | Noni Madueke | 4 | | Jude Bellingham | 7 | | Marcus Rashford | 5 | | Harry Kane | 8 |

Current form

England is on a 2-game winning run, with their recent form standing at 2W-0D-2L. Their last result was a 4-2 win over Croatia on 2026-06-17.

What comes next?

England will face Spain at home on 2026-09-26. Currently, R. James is sidelined due to injury. The team will need to improve their defensive performance to go beyond Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday night.