Harry Kane's spectacular winning goal will go down as his best-ever England moment and one of the finest in the nation's World Cup history, writes John Cross in Atlanta. With 84 goals for England, this strike was undoubtedly his most important, given the brilliance, pressure, and context: England had nearly been eliminated by DR Congo in what would have been one of their worst defeats.
Bellingham Shines as England's Best
Jude Bellingham has been England's standout player in this World Cup by a country mile. He has been incredible, earning man-of-the-match honors in three of four matches and was one of the few good performers against DR Congo. These two players are the heroes of this tournament and the reason England are still alive.
Tuchel's Concerns Ahead of Mexico Clash
Despite advancing, England have numerous issues. Thomas Tuchel faces a real worry ahead of the trip to Mexico City, where the odds and crowd will be stacked against them. A win in Mexico would be one of the greatest English sporting achievements, but England have been below their best. Most players look knackered or carry injuries after a gruelling season.
Positional Problems Across the Pitch
Jordan Pickford has been way off form, failing to stop DR Congo's goal and showing poor distribution, casting doubt on his status as undisputed No.1. Tuchel's right-back selection has been a disaster: Reece James is injury-prone and got injured, Tino Livramento went home before the tournament, and Djed Spence struggled badly against DR Congo. John Stones is not at the required level, having barely played all season, and the centre-back pairing of Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa looks disjointed. Nico O'Reilly has underperformed, Declan Rice looks broken, and the midfield duo of Rice and Elliot Anderson appears too similar. Noni Madueke offered no defensive cover, Marcus Rashford was so poor he drew criticism from fans, Anthony Gordon was dropped after a woeful display against Panama, Bukayo Saka is half-fit, and Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney have had few chances. Dan Burn has been a mascot.
Knockout Record Saves England
Tuchel's phenomenal knockout record may be why England scraped through against DR Congo. A loss would have been one of England's worst defeats and a huge humiliation, threatening Tuchel's position. England must step up now, as it is do-or-die. If they win in Mexico City, it could give them belief to go further. For now, this World Cup will be remembered for two heroes: Harry and Jude.
