On a night where England needed their leader to step up, Harry Kane did precisely that as the Three Lions booked themselves a last 16 date with Mexico.
Thomas Tuchel's men have vowed that performances will improve after a group stage where they eased through without ever really impressing. But for 75 minutes in Atlanta, there was real worry that they could be heading home against a game, tenacious DR Congo.
Brian Cipenga stunned England after just seven minutes, firing in at Jordan Pickford's near post when his defence were at sixes and sevens. Then, for so long, Tuchel's men found Lionel Mpasi in inspired form.
But eventually, Kane did what Kane does. Anthony Gordon dug out a cross and the Bayern Munich striker nodded home to equalise. Then a moment of pure centre-forward brilliance, taking the ball when surrounded, finding the space and unleashing a technically outstanding strike which soared into the roof of the net, leaving Mpasi rooted to the spot.
