Thomas Tuchel avoided a nightmarish scenario as a brace from Harry Kane sealed a 2-1 win for England over DR Congo.
The Three Lions are now into the last 16 of the World Cup – where Mexico await at the iconic Azteca Stadium – despite a goal from Brian Cipenga making millions of Englishmen nervous for 74 minutes of action.
As England knocked DR Congo out, a piece of football history was made as Tuchel became just the second manager after Sir Alf Ramsey to come from behind to win a World Cup match in charge of the Three Lions.
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Thomas Tuchel joins exclusive club after overseeing DR Congo comeback
Before Kane inspired a fightback against DR Congo, England had only ever come from behind to win a World Cup match once, and it was remarkably in the 1966 final against West Germany.
Helmut Haller had put West Germany ahead in the 12th minute, but a famous hat-trick from Sir Geoff Hurst and a strike by Martin Peters secured a 4-2 win, despite Wolfgang Weber forcing the game into extra-time with a goal in the 89th minute to make it 2-2.
Ever since the World Cup began in 1930, England had never come from behind to win a match at the competition besides that victory in 1966 under Ramsey – until now.
Of course, a Round of 32 clash against DR Congo is not the most glamorous game to achieve the feat for Tuchel, and it would have been quite embarrassing for the German had the match even gone to extra-time.
Nevertheless, the former Chelsea boss is now just the second England manager to oversee a World Cup comeback win – in a match which saw Anthony Gordon make history – and the first foreign coach to do so with the Three Lions.
Hopefully, we can defeat Mexico in the Round of 16 in much easier fashion, although it will undoubtedly be a tough test given the difference in altitude at the Estadio Azteca.
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