England Rallies Past DR Congo to Reach World Cup Round of 16
England recovered from an early goal to beat DR Congo 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifier Round of 32, advancing to face Mexico in the next round on July 5.
Thomas Tuchel, England's manager, commended his team's determination as they overcame an early deficit to secure a 2-1 victory against DR Congo. Meanwhile, DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed disappointment over his team's late falter but recognized they are in a development phase.
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers' Round of 32 match on July 1, England edged out DR Congo 2-1 to advance to the Round of 16, where they will face hosts Mexico on July 5.
DR Congo took the lead through Bryan Ciphenga in the 7th minute, but England mounted a comeback with Harry Kane scoring twice in the 75th and 86th minutes.
Tuchel commented: "We started as badly as possible, but we maintained our confidence and worked hard. We need this attitude. When things get difficult, let them be difficult, but we must not lose patience or confidence."
Desabre said: "We're disappointed because we truly believed we could win. However, we must praise all our players. This is DR Congo football. We may lack experience in some areas, but we are learning and developing. We will move forward calmly."
