Harry Kane scored his 12th and 13th World Cup goals with a late brace as England came from behind to beat DR Congo 2–1 and book a place in the round of 16, overtaking Pelé in the process.

England were stunned early when Brian Cipenga struck in the seventh minute, exposing defensive fragility that left Thomas Tuchel's side under pressure for much of the first half.

DR Congo nearly doubled their lead before the break, with Yoane Wissa hitting the post and Lionel Mpasi producing a series of outstanding saves, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared off the line to preserve their advantage.

England struggled to find rhythm in attack, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford both denied, and Kane seeing a penalty appeal turned down amid growing frustration.

The breakthrough came in the 75th minute when Kane levelled the match, equalling Pelé's 12 World Cup goals. 

He then struck again 11 minutes later to complete the comeback and move to 13 goals in World Cup history.

The brace took his tournament tally to five goals, leaving him just one behind Golden Boot leader Lionel Messi, who tops the all-time World Cup scoring chart with 19 goals.

Kane had already become England's all-time leading World Cup scorer during the 2–0 win over Panama, surpassing Gary Lineker. He now has 84 international goals in 117 appearances.

FIFA World Cup 2026 / Harry Kane

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