England route to World Cup 2026 final as Harry Kane heroics keep hopes alive | OneFootball

60 years of hurt could still end this summer after Three Lions leave it late to beat DR Congo

England are a step closer to the World Cup final after a dramatic late 2-1 win over DR Congo.

Harry Kane spared the Three Lions’ blushes in Wednesday’s tense round-of-32 showdown in Atlanta, scoring twice in the last quarter of an hour to save them from a humiliating early exit.

England had trailed since the seventh minute thanks to Brian Cipenga’s strike which beat Jordan Pickford all too easily at his front post after a defensive mix-up.

Kane has now scored more World Cup finals goals than the iconic Pele (13), and sits just one behind leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in a star-studded Golden Boot race - level with Erling Haaland.

Captain fantastic: Harry Kane saved England from World Cup humiliation against DR Congo in the round of 32

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Having just about sneaked past DR Congo, a last-16 fixture now awaits at the famous and formidable Estadio Azteca in Mexico City - with a 1am BST kick-off time in the UK on July 6.

That will be against Mexico, who brushed aside 10-man Ecuador 2-0 at the same venue on Tuesday courtesy of first-half efforts from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez.

Facing the co-hosts at their high-altitude fortress - sitting more than 2,000 metres above sea level - where they have only ever lost twice in 89 competitive matches, and not since 2013, already has England fans talking in fearful tones.

Mexico have won all four of their games at this World Cup so far, scoring eight goals and not conceding any. All of them have been on home soil, and all but one at the Azteca - scene of England’s infamous quarter-final defeat by Argentina in 1986, when Diego Maradona scored with ‘The Hand of God’ before quickly then registering arguably the finest goal in tournament history.

Get through that last-16 test and record five-time winners Brazil could then await England in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on July 11, with the Selecao surviving a scare against Japan on Monday as Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli scored a last-gasp winner in stoppage time.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men have a tough next assignment against Norway in New Jersey on Sunday, with Haaland having netted a late winner of his own against Ivory Coast.

If England are still standing after that, then it could well be a blockbuster semi-final against holders Argentina, who cruised to the top of Group J with Messi becoming the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer and staking his claim for a first-ever Golden Boot at his sixth and surely last finals.

Tough path: Brazil could await England in the World Cup quarter-finals, if the Three Lions beat Mexico

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Lionel Scaloni’s side meet surprise package Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday, a match they will be expected to win comfortably before battling either Australia or Egypt in the last 16.

They will be expected to get past either of those opponents too, with one of Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia or Ghana then awaiting in the quarter-finals.

If England did manage to improve and reach a first World Cup final since 1966, it could feasibly be against the side that beat them in the 2022 quarters in France, whose star-studded attack looked predictably imperious as they stormed to the top of Group I.

Les Bleus brushed aside Sweden 3-0 in the last 32, with Paraguay up next after the South Americans stunned Germany 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Boston.

Win that and France would be up against one of Canada or Morocco in the quarter-finals after their respective last-32 wins over South Africa and the Netherlands, with Portugal, Spain, USA and Belgium among the list of possible semi-final opponents.