Atlanta
It looks like the 2026 World Cup is serving up new and higher types of drama each single day now that the knockout rounds have lastly arrived.
Wednesday has been no totally different.
England wanted two late goals from captain Harry Kane to storm back and maintain off a decided crew from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, incomes a 2-1 victory that narrowly averted one of many greatest World Cup upsets in historical past.
And within the subsequent sport, Belgium scored two goals in three minutes to drive additional time in opposition to Senegal and finally scored the successful objective on a penalty with simply minutes left within the match.
Get caught up on the early video games right here:
Belgium pulled off a comeback for the ages to knock out Senegal, regardless of trailing by two goals with about 5 minutes to play within the sport – finally scoring the successful objective on a controversial penalty in additional time.
Senegal was in command within the opening parts of the match and bought a deserved opener within the twenty fifth minute. A cross whipped into the field was headed by Ismaïla Sarr off the publish previous a sprawling Thibaut Courtois. The rebound bounced instantly to Habib Diarra, who tucked the ball into the back of the web for the early lead.
From there, the Belgians struggled to come into the sport till simply earlier than halftime when an extended strike from Maxim De Cuyper pressured Senegal keeper Mory Diaw right into a improbable save.
After the halftime break, the Senegalese began off sizzling once more with Sarr doubling their lead on a improbable strike. An extended ball excessive of the protection got here towards Sarr, who softened the move with a chest lure, let the ball bounce and then fired a shot previous Courtois to make it 2-0 within the 51st minute.
With the time ticking down within the match, the Belgians pulled one back via their all-time main scorer, Romelu Lukaku, with a striker’s objective. The No. 9 charged towards the web whereas holding off a Senegalese defender. He fired his shot at a decent angle into the web contained in the close to publish, giving the Belgians a lifeline with just some minutes to play.
Only two minutes later, the Belgians bought their equalizer on a second of bravery from Youri Tielemans. The midfielder rose up within the field – arguably with a little bit of a push on a Senegalese defender – and headed the ball previous a charging Diaw, who introduced Tielemans down with a sort out that wouldn’t have appeared misplaced in a Seahawks sport performed in the identical stadium.
The late goals meant the sport ticked into additional time, with the groups needing 30 extra minutes to type issues out. The first quarter-hour of additional time weren’t significantly notable as the sport settled down after Belgium’s livid comeback and neither crew created a lot of a chance.
Senegal had the higher probabilities within the second body however fatigue appeared to be setting in for each side as play slowed. But it was Belgium who had the very best likelihood to finish issues in additional time with penalties looming.
A blasted cross went into the field, whistling via the six-yard field. It bounced off a Senegalese defender and out to midfielder Dodi Lukébakio. Even with loads of time to settle, Lukébakio fired a side-footed shot and missed the web, bouncing the shot off the woodwork.
But all was not misplaced for the Belgians – referee Héctor Martínez was notified by the video assistant referee that he might have missed a penalty within the buildup. Martínez dominated that Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara slid into Tielemans as the cross went in, knocking him over, awarding a penalty within the last moments of the match.
Senegal did all they might to delay the method, with Pathé Ciss going down with an obvious harm proper on the penalty spot as the Belgians ready for the spot kick.
Tielemans stepped up to take the penalty and promptly buried it within the high proper nook to give Belgium a 3-2 lead in stoppage time.
Senegal had one final likelihood with a free kick within the last minute, but it surely was despatched hovering over and the referee blew the ultimate whistle to finish a basic contest.
Kane pulls England previous DR Congo with two late goals
The Congolese shocked the principally English crowd in Atlanta when Brian Cipenga was left unmarked on the far publish on a cross within the seventh minute. He calmly collected the ball and fired a shot previous keeper Jordan Pickford, giving the African aspect a surprising 1-0 lead within the opening minutes of the match, and then ran off for a flipping celebration earlier than being mobbed by all of his teammates – together with the subs who ran in from the bench.
The objective despatched the small contingent of Congolese followers inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the scene of their first-ever World Cup victory solely days earlier than in opposition to Uzbekistan, into delirious pleasure. The large touring throng of English followers, in the meantime, struggled to discover their voice after their crew was set back by the opening strike.
The English appeared rattled within the ensuing durations of play, controlling the ball for lengthy stretches with out a lot finish product earlier than the Congolese hit back on the counterattack. The hydration break was a lot wanted for England, and the stoppage was greeted with an outpouring of boos – although for as soon as it wasn’t clear if it was for the break itself or on the Three Lions.
It didn’t take lengthy for England to have its first nice alternative to even issues up after the break as a Jude Bellingham header from shut vary was saved off a cross despatched in by Noni Madueke. The header pressured a spectacular save from Lionel Mpasi within the Congo web. Marcus Rashford had one other clear shot a couple of minutes later that was cleared off the road by a DR Congo defender.
DR Congo got here very shut to doubling its lead a couple of minutes earlier than halftime when Yoane Wissa hit the publish off a deflected cross.
A second of controversy got here on the very subsequent sequence when Kane was introduced down within the field by a charging Mpasi, although referee Adham Mohammad declined to give a penalty regardless of clear contact within the field and Kane being first to an extended ball into the realm. The determination was reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee and play went on, a lot to the chagrin of the English.
Kane had another nice likelihood to equalize on the stroke of halftime, volleying a nook instantly into Mpasi from simply ft away. The groups went to the break with the Congolese holding tightly to that one-goal benefit.
The stress ramped up after halftime however there was nonetheless no breakthrough for the English as supervisor Thomas Tuchel subbed off Madueke and Rashford for two fellow attackers, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. Saka was the supply of a lot anger when a poor first contact deflected out of play for the hydration break, with extra boos echoing round Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
England’s equalizer lastly got here within the 74th minute when Kane rose highest for a header within the field despatched in by Gordon, nodding the ball previous a diving Mpasi to make it 1-1. The England crowd erupted in reduction and pleasure, out of the blue feeling the burden lifted off their shoulders and roaring their crew on to go discover a winner.
The storm unleashed by the objective had the Congolese hanging on for expensive life as England despatched wave after wave of assaults at Mpasi’s objective. The stress grew heavy each time Congo appeared to counterattack, and anticipation stuffed the air when England as soon as once more crowded the Congolese half.
England’s deliverance got here within the eighty fifth minute when Kane despatched another shot previous Mpasi, ending Congo’s hopes for a historic upset. Bellingham’s run unlocked the Congo protection, forcing a save from Mpasi. Gordon collected the rebound and despatched a difficult move to Kane on the high of the penalty space, the place he took two touches and then smashed the ball into the back of the web.
The full-time whistle introduced a roar of reduction from the throngs of English supporters within the stands and a full-throated rendition of “It’s Coming Home.” The England gamers may very well be seen giving their plaudits to Mpasi, who had one of many standout goalkeeping performances of the match in defeat.
The England gamers lined up for the now-traditional postgame singing of “Wonderwall” by Oasis, serenaded by the followers who had solely half an hour earlier been silent with anxiousness. It was, really, the complete “England-at-the-World-Cup” expertise.