Bayern's Kane rescues England to face Mexico at 1am
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored two late goals to secure England a World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, a fixture that will kick off at 1am UK time and test European stamina at high altitude.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes to secure England a 2-1 World Cup victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, overturning an early shock lead from Brian Cipenga in Atlanta.
The result spares manager Thomas Tuchel an early exit and sets up a daunting last-16 tie against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. The match is scheduled for a 1am Monday kickoff in the UK, a punishing timeslot for European broadcasters and audiences that prompted Tuchel to urge parents to let children stay up and watch. "Write an excuse for school and let them watch football," the England head coach said.
England appeared disjointed in the 34C heat of Atlanta, where roughly 10,000 travelling supporters watched the midday local kick-off. DRC goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi kept the African side in the game until Kane finally broke through with 15 minutes remaining, smashing home the winner just before full-time.
It was the first time England have won a World Cup match after trailing since the 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley. Kane has now scored 13 World Cup goals, extending the record he took from Gary Lineker last week. The captain has reached 72 goals for club and country this season, underlining his continued value to his German club side.
Mexico presents a formidable physical obstacle for the European side. The Azteca Stadium sits more than 2,000 metres above sea level, a venue where Mexico have never lost a World Cup match. Furthermore, Javier Aguirre’s side have won all four of their tournament games so far without conceding a single goal. The stadium is also the site of Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal against England 40 years ago.
Tuchel acknowledged the altitude would be a major disadvantage, noting it is impossible to physically adapt in just four days. However, he expressed hope that England’s pre-tournament hot weather training camp in Miami would pay dividends against a side riding high on home support.
Kane described the late goals as his "hero moment" and praised the team's patience under mounting knockout pressure. Vice-captain Declan Rice summed up the striker's decisive impact after the final whistle: "If you give him a chance it’s a goal. It’s just ridiculous, so credit to him."
