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ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP mission is simple: protect Harry Kane at all costs.
He is their only hope. He is the only one who can realistically keep it alive.
Kane is their salvation, their leader, their Messi-Mbappe-Haaland rolled into one exquisite footballer. He is the man who is more important than every one of his teammates and, as is becoming clearer by the game, is a figure far more decisive than manager Thomas Tuchel.
England made every single other facet of the game seem so difficult here, and watching them in this tournament so far has been an almost never-ending, tortuous examination of character and their sense of self.
Kane’s two late goals – bringing him to five for the tournament, one behind Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi – helped England avoid a first ever defeat to an African country at the World Cup.
When he headed home his equaliser on 75 minutes, he let out a roar of relief that burst through the roof of the Atlanta Stadium and carried back across the Atlantic.
When he somehow managed to find the space amid four DR Congo players to smash home the winner, it was not just the venom on the strike that left the rivals sick.
There was no time to respond.
England had conceded an early goal of such criminally complacent proportions against DR Congo that it made you wonder were they destined for an ignominious exit.
Instead, Kane’s immaculate timing, presence of mind and technique kept England alive.
They live to fight another day and that day will come in Mexico City. The Azteca. Mexico have ignited a fire in their own country that will still be burning by the time England arrive.
Only Kane will be able to extinguish it.
At the end of another rescue job, he stood arm in arm with his teammates as Football’s Coming Home blared.
Wonderwall by Oasis was next.
Kane is England’s only Masterplan.
Thirty seconds into this game, the England fans took their lead from a trumpet player in their midst.
The mood was buoyant and confident. They sang one tune on repeat: “Football’s coming home again… with Thomas Tuchel.”
It echoed around the Atlanta Stadium and when they finished, the England fans clapped themselves for a job well done.
Over to the players now.
Oh, the players.
The fans were able to dream until the football began to get in the way of their hopes and expectations. Kane revived them at the end but unless this performance serves as a way to inspire more, England are not long for this tournament.
The first half was one filled with angst.
They fell behind after seven minutes and faced a pressure like never before in this tournament. They needed to respond.
In his pre-match press conference, Tuchel spoke with such confidence and self-belief that it was impossible that such clarity would not seep into his players’ consciousness.
They will point to the decision of referee Adham Makhadmeh not to award a penalty and the VAR for not overruling him, but why not ask why Kane opted to plant both his feet together and arch his back in preparation for contact?
You’d probably expect that to be a penalty more often than not but that’s just the problem with England. They always expect. Only Kane delivers.
For a country that has turned its national sport into a billion-pound industry, enticing Gulf wealth and American investment funds, they still somehow make themselves look like paupers when the whole world is watching.
The very first game in this stadium during this World Cup was between Spain and Cape Verde. Pico Lopes and co. produced one of the great upsets by keeping European champions Spain to a goalless draw, and it was the catalyst for an underdog story that has captured the imagination.
Maybe there is something in the water for goalkeepers here. Vozinha instantly became the most recognisable goalkeeper on the planet with his heroics against Spain and up until the 75th minute, it looked like he was going to be joined by DR Congo’s Lionel Nzau Mpasi with a performance for the ages.
He made a superb one-handed save from a close-range Bellingham header on 30 minutes, and another from Kane on the stroke of half-time when the England captain’s volley at the back post look destined for the goal.
Early in the second half, he also had to show an ability to change direction quickly and react to Bellingham’s deflected cross which almost beat him at the near post.
When he was beaten for Kane’s equaliser with a quarter of an hour of normal time remaining, it took a header coming back across Mpazi’s body to be his undoing. He just couldn’t work his feet quickly enough to get a stronger hand to the effort.
DR Congo’s opener on seven minutes highlighted how England can so often be gripped by passiveness. It was not solely down to the England goalkeeper’s error. It can be traced back to Noni Madueke not spotting danger and tracking back to help Djed Spence when he had two men over on his right side.
Centre back Ezri Konsa also had a part to play, tracking a run all the way over to the left side of defence instead of passing his man on and leaving Spence further isolated and exposed.
Chancel Mbemba’s hopeful cross for Yoane Wissa found its way to Cipenga and his touch and composure with a fierce low finish was enough to catch Pickford on the hop.
So many small mistakes that, as always, can add up to a significant problem.
England were punished and DR Congo had the goal to fuel their belief.
Tuchel’s side were so poor in that first quarter that by the time of the hydration break, their supporters were already booing misplaced passes from Marcus Rashford and Bellingham.
By the time of the second hydration break, the boos continued. More than that, there was fear.
Fear of a round of 32 exit and the reality of another failed World Cup with a manager who was brought in on the sole basis that he has the Midas touch to take England over the line.
Kane showed that he is the difference maker. Whether he will be the history maker is an altogether different question.
Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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