World Cup Story Feed
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In the 7th minute, Chipenga received the ball on the left, cut inside, and fired a low shot into Pickford's near corner.
In the 7th minute, Chipenga received the ball on the left, cut inside, and fired a low shot into Pickford's near post.
It was Chipenga's first international goal, ironically scored against a goalkeeper with Premier League experience. Pickford was rooted to his near post, unable to move. Tuchel stood on the sidelines with no reaction.
At the post-match press conference, Tuchel said, "I liked the attitude in the first 25 minutes."
The first 25 minutes? England conceded a goal just 7 minutes in. What were they doing for the remaining 18 minutes?
They had 60% possession, 16 shots to 7, an expected goals (xG) of 2.04 to 0.81, and 7 big chances, wasting 6 of them.
The stats were dominant, but the scoreline was mocking them.
Congo's goalkeeper, Mpasi, was unstoppable tonight. He saved three shots from Bellingham, using his knees and gloves to deny him. After the third save, Bellingham walked up and hugged him in respect.
When a key England attacker, denied three times, doesn't throw a tantrum or curse but instead embraces the goalkeeper, it shows how absurd Mpasi's performance was—and how desperate England's frontline felt.
In the first half, Kane went down in the box after contact with Mpasi. The referee didn't award a penalty. VAR reviewed it and upheld the decision. According to an RTE commentator, Kane "actively initiated the contact."
No penalty, no goal. Rashford finally managed a shot past Mpasi, but it was cleared off the line by his own teammate, Wan-Bissaka.
England controlled possession until their palms sweated, passing the ball around like rosary beads, but couldn't deliver the finishing blow.
In the 61st minute, down 0-1, Tuchel finally made a move. Gordon replaced Rashford.
14 minutes later, the game's direction changed.
In the 75th minute, Gordon crossed from the left, and Kane headed it in from the near post. Mpasi got a fingertip to it but couldn't stop it. England equalized.
In the 86th minute, Gordon delivered another cross, and Kane scored from a long-range shot into the corner. 2-1.
Gordon came off the bench for 25 minutes and provided two assists. This was the first time since 1966 that an England substitute had recorded a double assist in a World Cup match, and the first in World Cup knockout history.
The record was impressive, but it also exposed a flaw: England's starting frontline had no attacking system in the knockout stage, relying entirely on a bench player to clean up the mess.
With these two goals, Kane's World Cup total reached 13, surpassing Pelé's 12 and tying Just Fontaine's record of 13 set in 1958, placing him sixth on the all-time World Cup scoring list. After the match, Rooney called Kane a "hero," describing the second goal as "sublime." Crouch was ready to crown him England's greatest ever.
The 33-year-old captain scored his first goal in the 75th minute. England's starting attack converted only 1 of 7 big chances.
After the match, Tuchel said, "From an attacking perspective, this was our best game of the World Cup."
Sixty-eight minutes of ineffective dominance, 6 of 7 big chances missed. If this is "best," Tuchel's dictionary probably lacks the word "adequate."
After the match, Kane gathered his teammates and said, "This is one of the best squads we've ever had."
It sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
This was only the second time in England's history that they won a World Cup match after conceding first. The last time was the 1966 final comeback against West Germany. Sixty years apart.
The genetic flaw of losing after conceding first was patched up by a substitute and the captain's individual brilliance.
The right-back hole was still leaking. With James and Quansah injured, the 25-year-old Spence was substituted after 70 minutes, forcing Rice to fill in. Rice publicly complained after the match about not wanting to play that position. The defensive void was consuming the midfield. Pickford's near post issue remained unresolved, as Chipenga's goal went right through it.
Next time you watch England, keep an eye on one key indicator: who Tuchel substitutes in the 61st minute.
On July 5th, the round of 16, against hosts Mexico at the 87,000-seat Azteca Stadium.
Mexico won't give England 68 minutes to slowly find their rhythm, and the deafening jeers won't turn Spence into Walker overnight.
After the match, Kane said something honest: "Playing Mexico will be tough. It's in Mexico."
How many more times can the 33-year-old captain smell blood? How many more cards can England's bench play? Tuchel better pray that in the next match, at the 61st minute, he still has a Gordon.