One man dragged England back from the brink. One man rescued Thomas Tuchel’s job. One man stopped England fans from going home, empty of heart and pocket. That man was Harry Kane.
They will need him at his best again at the Azteca against Mexico – at altitude. Kane and the England players left the field to a riotous rendition of “Wonderwall” and to sustained applause.
How the mood had changed. Because this was often a shambolic performance by England.
Harry Kane rescues England, again
How often has Kane rescued England? This was arguably his greatest spell of football, two goals in 11 second-half minutes, in his 118 internationals representing the country he loves and playing the sport he adores. Kane’s response to England’s journey towards ignominy showcased all the strengths to his game: the movement, the placed, powerful header, the irresistible shot, the utter determination to turn the tide. He has now scored 84 goals for England and nobody would bet against him reaching the century.
His first, a header, brought joy and relief through the majority of the 68,239 present. It got better. It got louder. England were really going for it. Tuchel’s switches worked. He’d changed his wingers, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon replacing the disappointing Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford. He’d been truly adventurous in hooking the outclassed Djed Spence, sending on Eberechi Eze and pulling Declan Rice to right-back – from where he typically attacked until going down with cramp. Kane’s second, trademark Kane, saw him open space and drive England towards the round of 16. DR Congo had faded and now succumbed. The 41st ranked football country in the world were finally vanquished by the fourth best. But, my, England have to improve.
The first half carried echoes of Nice 2016. As nasty as that. It was the type of dispiriting performance and scoreline that puts a manager’s job at risk. England went in at the break to a smattering of boos and the memory of some wretched defending, some acrobatic shot-stopping by Lionel Mpasi and a deeply controversial VAR decision denying them a penalty. The Atlanta hosts sent out some cheerleaders at the break but not even Tuchel’s biggest cheerleaders could defend this. Right-back has been Tuchel’s blind spot this tournament, from overlooking the injury records of Reece James and Tino Livramento and ignoring Trent Alexander-Arnold, and having to field Djed Spence, who was immediately targeted by DR Congo.
All that early confidence, the swagger of the England fans marching in and turning the stand behind the DR Congo into a sea of red and white dissipated as the right side of Tuchel’s reassembled defence cracked after seven minutes. It was the switch from right to left that first caught England out. Culpability was spread around. Marc Guehi and especially Ezri Konsa were drawn across, leaving Spence exposed. He moved inside to mark Noah Sadiki, and the ball cleared the pair. Danger doubled for England. Brian Cipenga was free; he controlled the ball, and as Spence despairingly tried to recover and close him down, the Almeria attacker took aim. Jordan Pickford looked to guard the far post, taking a step to his left, expecting the more natural strike for an attacker in this position.
Cipenga simply took the shortest route to goal, targeting the near post, and Pickford couldn’t respond in time. It was poor from Pickford and will inevitably lead to a debate about his future, and whether James Trafford should be bedded in next season. The shock nature of the goal was matched by the spectacular nature of Cipenga’s celebration – airborne flip and forward roll. His first goal for his country deserved to be marked in such style. DR Congo’s subs thought so and invaded the field.
England fans still believed. When Jude Bellingham was booked for fouling Nathanael Mbuku, they continued to chant his name. He showed the positive side of his game, going close with a header pushed away by Mpasi. The keeper then came flying out for the ball as Kane threatened. England’s captain touched the ball past Mpasi, who followed through and made contact with Kane, sending him falling, a touch theatrically, to earth. The Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh waved play on, VAR concurred and Kane seethed.
England had chances before the break but DR Congo’s defending was outstanding. Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared a shot off the line from Marcus Rashford, his old Manchester United team-mate. Kane was denied by Mpasi. But England could easily have fallen further behind. Wan-Bissaka’s cross clipped Nico O’Reilly, bypassed Guehi and was met by Yoane Wissa. Pickford was beaten but the post rescued England.
England were facing humiliation. Tuchel was facing the abrupt termination of his England tenure. His generous FA paymasters were facing awkward questions. England had to respond. Tuchel didn’t make his first changes until the hour. Saka arrived to huge cheers, replacing Madueke. Gordon sprinted on for Rashford. England now took control.
There was still time. There was still Kane. Rice suddenly crossed from the left, Gordon looked up, saw Kane and delivered. Kane at last eluded his marker, stepping away from Axel Tuanzebe, Bayern Munich beating Burnley. Kane judged his movement and his angle perfectly, although Mpasi lacked his earlier sharpness, and Kane’s header carried into the net. If that was well-received, the reaction to his second could have raised the roof. Bellingham was denied, Gordon recycled the ball, Kane created the space and smashed the ball in. The singing started, the celebrations intensified, but that defence needs work. On to Mexico City.
