Kane the Hero as England Escape World Cup Shock in Day of Chaos and Controversy

England got through a nail-biting and dramatic Round of 32 match against DR Congo, narrowly avoiding what would have been one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.

The Three Lions were in real trouble early, going behind after just seven minutes when Brian Cipenga scored. The situation was further complicated by widespread controversy surrounding a denied penalty appeal from captain Harry Kane, a decision that sparked fierce debate among players, pundits and fans alike.

England spent over an hour chasing the game before Kane, their talisman when it matters most, stepped up in the final quarter-hour to score twice and complete a stunning 2-1 comeback victory, sparing his side what would have been a catastrophic early elimination.

Elsewhere on a dramatic day at the tournament, the Belgium produced one of the great World Cup comebacks, overturning a two-goal deficit to claim victory through the latest goal ever recorded in World Cup history. The decisive moment came deep into extra time when Belgium were awarded a penalty in the 117th minute  a call that has split opinion across the football world and is set to dominate headlines for days to come.

Wrapping up the day’s matches, the United States team booked their official spot in the Round of 16. This means all three host nation team have now successfully made it through the first round of the knockout stages.

The Americans suffered a huge setback when a red card nearly derailed their run, but they showed real grit and fought back to secure a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, advancing with confidence into the next round.