The Night of Comebacks: Kane Rescues England, Tielemans Stuns Senegal, USA Make History

Some World Cup nights are remembered for a single moment; this one served up three matches and two of the great tournament comebacks in the space of a few hours. Across the round of 32, England came from behind to see off a fearless DR Congo, Belgium overturned a two-goal deficit to break Senegal's hearts with the latest goal in World Cup history, and the United States dug in with ten men to reach the last 16 for the first time in a generation. If the group stage was about survival, this was the night the knockouts bared their teeth.

For seventy-four minutes in Atlanta, this was going to be DR Congo's story. Playing the first World Cup knockout match in their history, they stunned England inside seven minutes: Chancel Mbemba switched the play and Brian Cipenga beat Jordan Pickford at his near post to silence the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Thomas Tuchel's side laid siege to the Congolese goal and could not find a way through — Jude Bellingham's header was clawed away by the excellent Lionel Mpasi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka somehow hooked his own teammate Marcus Rashford's goal-bound effort off the line, and at the other end Yoane Wissa rattled a post. It had the makings of one of the great upsets.

Then Harry Kane happened. With fifteen minutes left, substitute Anthony Gordon swung over a cross and the captain rose to head England level; eleven minutes later Kane rifled an unstoppable finish into the roof of the net to complete the turnaround. The brace carried him to thirteen World Cup goals — one past Pelé — and made him the first England player to score twice in a World Cup knockout tie since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990. "It's what we expect from him," said Tuchel. "It's what he expects from himself." England move on to a last-16 meeting with hosts Mexico at the Azteca; DR Congo go home having come within a quarter of an hour of the shock of the tournament.

If Atlanta was tense, Seattle was bedlam. Senegal, playing with pace and no fear, looked to be cruising: Habib Diarra fired them ahead on twenty-five minutes and Ismaïla Sarr made it 2-0 six minutes into the second half. With five minutes of normal time remaining, Senegal were as good as into the last 16 — and then Belgium, laboured for eighty-five minutes, finally found a pulse.

Romelu Lukaku, on from the bench, bundled one back on eighty-six minutes; three minutes later Youri Tielemans levelled to force extra time. The cruelty was still to come. Deep into the additional period, Lamine Camara swept away Tielemans' standing leg as the Belgian reached a low cross, and after a long, furious VAR review — Senegal's players swarming the pitchside monitor — the referee pointed to the spot. Tielemans converted in the 125th minute: the latest goal in World Cup history, and the biggest comeback the tournament has produced. Belgium, two goals and five minutes from elimination, march on to face the United States. Senegal are left to rage at the injustice of it, and they will not be the last team this summer to feel that way.

The night's third act was less a comeback than a survival story — but no less historic. At Levi's Stadium, Folarin Balogun swept the United States in front on the stroke of half-time, Tim Ream's interception springing Malik Tillman to tee him up. The co-hosts looked comfortable until the hour, when the game turned: Balogun was shown a red card by Raphael Claus for stepping on Tarik Muharemović's ankle, a decision Mauricio Pochettino rejected out of hand afterwards — "For me? Never a red card."

Down to ten men, the United States might have folded. Instead they extended their lead — Tillman curling a free kick beyond the wall on eighty-one minutes — and goalkeeper Matt Freese, twice denying Ermedin Demirović, saw them home. It was only the second knockout win in USMNT history and the first since 2002, and it sets up a round-of-16 reunion with Belgium, the side that ended their 2014 World Cup. "We had to dig deep," said Christian Pulisic. "It didn't go exactly to plan with the red card, but that just shows what a good team we are." The sting in the tail: Balogun's dismissal rules him out of the tie.

Three matches, two comebacks for the ages, and a host nation into the last 16 against the odds. The round of 32 promised jeopardy and delivered it without mercy — and for England, Belgium and the United States, the reward is a place in the final sixteen, along with a lesson the rest of the field will have noted: on this evidence, no lead is safe.