Prince and Bishnoi named injury replacements for Rana and Chakarvarthy respectively

An inspired Harry Kane wrote himself into history books and the hearts of England fans forever with a pair of goals that denied what could have been one of the greatest World Cup upsets of all time.His strikes, in the space of 11 minutes, consigned the Democratic Republic of the Congo, leading the game for 69 minutes, to pure despair. As England wheeled away in celebration, Congo’s brave men – who defied a footballing powerhouse for most of the game – broke down inconsolably.But the World Cup wouldn’t forget their courage. It took one of the most lethal strikers in the world, a man inspired in the second half, a loveable man who has suffered heartbreaks in three major tournaments (World Cup and Euros), to deny them a slice of history. Those were goals that Kane scored with his will, the technique and vision just the complimenting tools. The winner could become an iconic moment in English football. Catching his breath after the match, unable to recollect the events, Kane said; “We have hero moments, for me it was today.” England’s Harry Kane (9) scores his side’s first goal against Congo during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)When he picked the ball on the edge of Congo’s box, his back was facing the goalkeeper. Men in shimmering blue converged. He escaped them, turned languidly and paced to his left, before he swivelled and flashed a rising shot past Lionel Mpasi, the guardian of Congo who had kept them in the game with a string of reflex saves. It was a cruel end to Congo’s resistance, but Kane didn’t want a crueller end for himself. He could have imagined the public fury back home, the media-scavenging, the end of careers and multiple sackings, the disillusionment and dismantling of the team. But England would croon thankfully: “It was Kane that saved the King.” When all his colleagues looked lost and lumbering, running on fumes, Kane alone showed up, lifting his troops in an individual performance that would elevate him to the pedestal of England’s greatest. England’s captains are associated with tragic flaws and combustibility in clutch moments. Kane was mocked for the lack of trophies in his shelf, for the supposedly poor choices when joining clubs. Not that England loved him less, but they would love him even more now. Harry kane scored second goal for ENGLAND🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Harry Kane is back pic.twitter.com/AVEroJPxmu — GoalRush (@GRGoalRush) July 1, 2026 His first goal was not as aesthetic as the second, but as significant. Just 15 minutes were left in the game, when Kane sprung higher than the circle of blue men around him, and headed the ball past the leaping, the hitherto infallible Mpasi.Story continues below this ad The Congolese goalkeeper almost clawed it away, but the power and direction was irresistible. Congo’s 70 minutes of pure, glorious resistance ended cruelly. Kane screeched and gestured to the audience, largely muted and bereft of hope, to bring the roof down. England’s fans pulsed, transforming the arena in Atlanta to Wembley or Old Trafford. Their hope was treading on thin ice, dripping away with every moment. Then came the captain’s moment, and then came another. Escape to victory But how awry it could have all gone. In fixating over breaking Congo’s defensive wall, England forgot their own chores. Just six minutes had passed when their worst nightmare unfolded. Poor Djed Spence – a fourth-choice right-back as Reece James, Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah were all injured for the match – misjudged the trajectory, and sheepishly watched the ball float over him. Waiting for the lapse was Brian Cipenga, unmarked and lonely in the box. He took a touch to let the surprise gift sink in. The next second, he pulled the levers past a slightly bemused Jordan Pickford. England’s players and supporters looked crestfallen, with their hands on heads and mouths agape. The ghosts of the past would have come rushing back.Story continues below t

Updated: Jun 18, 2026 01:58 AM IST Congo's Yoane Wissa, center, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Portugal and Congo in Houston, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) With their 1-1 tie against Portugal, the Democratic Republic of Congo managed a draw in what was the country’s first appearance in the FIFA World Cup in 52 years, Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa scored the equaliser for Congo in the injury time in the first half after Joao Neves had given Portugal the lead in the sixth minute of the Group K match at Houston Stadium. Back in 2021, Wissa had suffered an acid attack at his home in Lorient in France, where he was playing for the French Club Lorient FC. The incident happened days before he was set to join Premier League side Brentford for a record deal of 8.5 million pounds with reports later stating that a woman later identified as Laetitia P posed as a fan to seek his autograph at his home and threw acid on the striker’s face with Wissa’s family present at his home at that time. It was later reported that the woman had tried to kidnap Wissa’s daughter.Post the incident, Wissa had told the court in Vannes, Brittany about the incident and how he almost lost his eye sight. “I opened a door, and had liquid thrown in my face. I screamed and could not breathe.My wife called the emergency services, and they told me to get under the shower to rinse my eyes. At the hospital they told me my eyes were burned. Someone had to come and rinse them out every hour. It has been a nightmare. Since then I panic every time I hear a noise, and the only thing that kept me going was knowing my children are safe. I had surgery on both eyes, and the doctor told me I will need to use eye drops for the rest of my life.”The Sun had reported Wissa giving the statement in the court in Vannes, Brittany. Congo’s Yoane Wissa (20) scores his side’s first goal against Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Portugal and Congo in Houston, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)Wissa, who was born in France, had earlier played for clubs like Chateauroux, Angers, Laval, Ajaccio and Lorient in France before he joined Brentford in September,2021, a month after the acid attack incident. With the court proceedings taking place post the incident and Wissa also appearing at the trial, Laetitia P was later found guilty and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Wissa had further talked about how the incident delayed his move to Brentford. “It took me six months before I fully got my sight back. Had I not been treated so quickly, the consequences would have been far worse. The days afterwards were traumatic for me. I know I will never feel the same as I used to. I want justice. Why has this happened to me? My wife and I will suffer the after-effects for the rest of our lives. This hugely delayed my move to Brentford. I missed their pre-season, and when I arrived the manager (Thomas Frank) said he had already drawn up his first team. He sympathised with me, and gave me time to adapt – but I got injured quickly as I wasn’t feeling great. After the attack I reacted like a father more than a footballer, and told myself at least my kids are unharmed even though I am blind. Since that time I have become withdrawn. I can no longer tolerate being around people I don’t know. My kids often ask me what I have done to my face, but they are too young for me to tell them what happened. I have been offered an operation. But I have refused, as this is part of my personal history,” Wissa had told the court as reported by The Sun. Post the incident, the then Lorient manager, Christophe Pelissier had visited the striker at the hospital. “Even though he was physically and mentally affected, Yoane quickly showed his determination to succeed. What struck me about him was his strong will and how he never gave up,” Pelissier had told BBC. Joan