Knockout football has a habit of testing both character and belief, and England needed plenty of both as they battled past a spirited DR Congo side to book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup.
Atlanta was the setting as England’s tournament entered the business end, but the script was ripped up almost immediately.
After just seven minutes, Brian Cipenga stunned England by firing DR Congo into the lead with his first international goal in only his second start. It was a dream moment for the forward, but a nightmare for England.
The defending was uncharacteristically poor, with far too much space afforded to Cipenga, while Jordan Pickford will feel disappointed to have been beaten at his near post.
It was the worst possible start.
Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham were quick to demand more from their teammates, and although England had a long way to go, there was an early sense that composure rather than panic would be needed.
England gradually grew into the game.
Bellingham forced an excellent save with a powerful header before Aaron Wan-Bissaka produced a remarkable goal line clearance to deny England what looked a certain equaliser.
At the other end, DR Congo almost doubled their lead as Yoane Wissa struck the post from close range in what proved to be another huge moment.
Then came the controversy.
Harry Kane took the ball around the goalkeeper, Lionel Mpasi, before going to ground, only for the referee to wave away England’s appeals. A brief VAR check followed, but no penalty was awarded, leaving England frustrated and wondering if it simply wasn’t going to be their day.
Before the interval, Mpasi produced two more outstanding saves to deny first Bellingham and then Kane, enjoying what was undoubtedly the half of his life. Four outstanding stops kept DR Congo ahead and capped a breathless opening 45 minutes.
England dominated possession after the restart, but DR Congo continued to look dangerous whenever they broke forward. Thomas Tuchel cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline, while the tension inside the stadium became impossible to ignore.
Something had to change.
Tuchel responded after the hydration break, introducing Eberechi Eze and asking Declan Rice to fill the troubled right back position as England desperately searched for a way back into the game.
Eventually, it arrived.
Anthony Gordon delivered the cross and Harry Kane rose highest to head England level. It felt less like celebration and more like relief. Relief for Kane, relief for the players and relief for thousands of England supporters who had spent much of the afternoon fearing an early exit.
Then came the moment that defined the match.
With four minutes remaining, Gordon was once again the provider and Kane once again the finisher. His clinical strike completed the turnaround and reminded everyone why, when England need someone to deliver on the biggest stage, their captain so often answers the call.
Credit must go to DR Congo. They defended brilliantly, played without fear and pushed England all the way. They deserved enormous praise for a courageous performance that unsettled one of the tournament favourites.
Tournament football is often decided by moments, and England have a player who thrives in them. Harry Kane proved it once again.
His World Cup goals for England now take him above Pelé! What an achievement!
England never stopped believing, never stopped knocking on the door and, in the end, their patience was rewarded.
The reward is a place in the last 16 and a mouth-watering encounter with Mexico, on home soil, where the atmosphere promises to be one of the most memorable of the tournament so far.
