Harry Kane once again proved himself England’s saviour, scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory over DR Congo in Atlanta, but the night will be remembered for the first-half penalty decision that went against him, a call that left former players and pundits questioning the officiating.
Kane appeared to be caught by DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau as he slid to challenge for the ball inside the box, but referee Adham Makhadmeh waved away the appeals and deemed the contact a dive. The Video Assistant Referee did not intervene. Michael Owen and Alan Shearer both argued it should have been a spot-kick, while former Premier League referee Graham Scott suggested Kane’s own movement may have contributed to the official’s judgment. The incident came after England had fallen behind in the seventh minute to a Brian Cipenga strike, the first World Cup knockout goal in DR Congo’s history, before Kane levelled in the 75th minute from an Anthony Gordon cross and then grabbed the winner 11 minutes later.
Balogun’s red card stuns USMNT
If the Kane penalty call caused frustration, the dismissal of Folarin Balogun in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina provoked outright fury from his manager. Mauricio Pochettino made no attempt to hide his anger after the Monaco striker was shown a straight red card by referee Raphael Claus for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. Replays showed Balogun catching the Bosnia and Herzegovina defender painfully on the ankle as both players went for the ball, but Pochettino insisted it was a complete accident.
“Never was this a red card,” Pochettino said. “Watching it on TV, never was there intention to step (on) the player. That was a normal action in football. That happened by accident and it’s never intentional. That is why for me it was never a red card.”
The USMNT coach also expressed frustration that many “50-50 decisions” went against his team. Claus reviewed the incident on the pitch-side monitor before issuing the red card for what was deemed a “serious foul”. Balogun had earlier scored the opener, making him the first player to both score and be sent off in a World Cup knockout match since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 final. He becomes the fifth US male player sent off at a World Cup and the first since 2006. Under FIFA regulations, the automatic one-match suspension for a red card cannot be appealed unless the disciplinary committee imposes an additional ban. That means Balogun will miss the round of 16 clash against Belgium. Despite being reduced to ten men for the remainder of the match, the USMNT secured the victory with a late free-kick goal from Malik Tillman.
Germany’s third consecutive early exit
While England and the United States march on, Germany find themselves packing early for the third World Cup in a row. The scale of the failure prompted a scathing assessment from former captain Philipp Lahm, who described the side’s performance as “mediocrity” and called for a fundamental rethink. “I am stunned,” Lahm wrote. “Germany have been eliminated early from a World Cup for the third time in a row. I need time to recover from this. The key word that needs to be discussed is continuity – something the national team have lacked for a decade. German football hasn’t decided how it wants to play. There are constantly new ideas, and time and again new players in new positions. Julian Nagelsmann has experimented too much, and not just during this tournament. Yet developing a team takes years.”
Elsewhere in the round of 32
Belgium produced arguably the most remarkable comeback of the tournament to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in Seattle. Trailing 2-0 with five minutes of normal time remaining after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr, Belgium scored twice through Romelu Lukaku in the 86th minute and Youri Tielemans in the 89th to force extra time. Tielemans then converted a penalty in the 125th minute, the latest goal ever scored in a World Cup, after a VAR review. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw declined to comment on the decision. The result echoed Belgium’s 2018 last‑16 comeback against Japan. Belgium will now face the United States in the next round.
England’s reward for their unconvincing display is a meeting with co‑hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, kicking off at 1am BST on Monday. Thomas Tuchel’s squad selections have come under scrutiny, with reports that he considered omitting Bukayo Saka from the starting XI, opting instead for Noni Madueke, and that Declan Rice was expected to return in midfield. The manager’s approach, described by one observer as more of a “fun uncle” than a responsible parent, has left questions over how the team will cope with limited rest.
Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo – two players older than this correspondent – are set to meet later in the round of 32 as Portugal face Croatia in a high‑profile European clash. The two former Real Madrid teammates remain central figures for their nations; Croatia and Portugal have a history of close encounters, including a recent Nations League draw. Spain, the reigning European champions, are strong favourites against an Austria side that qualified dramatically, although they will be without injured wingers Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino. Switzerland, who topped their group unbeaten, take on Algeria in a match that adds an emotional subplot: Algeria’s coach Vladimir Petkovic previously managed Switzerland. Young Swiss forward Johan Manzambi has been a standout performer as his side bids to reach the last 16 for the fourth consecutive occasion. Switzerland’s history, however, is often one of reaching the knockouts only to fall at the first hurdle.
