England fans were put through an emotional rollercoaster as the Three Lions fought back to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo for a place in the last 16 of the World Cup.
An early goal for DR Congo left England fans fearing the worst, but two goals from Harry Kane in the second half saw Thomas Tuchel‘s men progress into the next round.
The action took place in Atlanta, Georgia, but the 5pm kick-off saw fans slip away from work to fill up pubs and fan parks across the country for the round of 32 clash.
Millions watched in agony at home along with tens of thousands in the Atlanta Stadium, as the central African side took the lead after just seven minutes.
An anxious wait to the 75th minute followed before skipper Harry Kane pulled level.
England then took the lead in the 86th minute as Kane smashed his effort into the roof of the net, to the relief and delight of screaming fans back home.
The 2-1 victory sets up a round-of-16 crunch showdown against Mexico – in Mexico City, at their home stadium the Azteca, scene of Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal.
It will be a seismic event unlike anything England has seen so far in this World Cup. More than a million Mexico fans took to the streets when their team beat Ecuador earlier this week with four people dying during the wild celebrations.
England fans celebrate in Manchester as Harry Kane scores for England against Democratic Republic of Congo
Fans in Manchester celebrate as England book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup
All smiles for these England fans as Harry Kane scored twice to see England beat DR Congo 2-1
England fans celebrate Harry Kane’s second goal during a screening of the between England and DR Congo on Brighton Beach
England took the lead in the 86th minute as Kane smashed his effort into the roof of the net, to the relief and delight of screaming fans back home. Pictured: Fans in London celebrate England’s 2-1 win
The 2-1 win sets up a last-16 tie on Sunday against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, one of world football’s most famous venues. Pictured: Fans in London celebrate England’s 2-1 win
England fans celebrate at the 4TheFans Fan Park in Brighton as England take on DR Congo in the World Cup
England supporters in Brighton react as they watch the England take on the DR Congo
Fans go from agony to ecstasy as Harry Kane scores twice for England
Fans in Brighton were seen celebrating as Thomas Tuchel’s men went 2-1 up in the game
England fans celebrate at BOXPARK Wembley in London as Harry Kane’s double secured a 2-1 win
Supporters stand on tables with beers in hand as the Three Lions beat DR Congo
England fans celebrate at BOXPARK Wembley in London as Harry Kane’s double secured a 2-1 win
Celebrations at BOXPARK Wembley in London as Harry Kane’s double secured a 2-1 win
England fans in Atlanta enjoy the atmosphere during the World Cup round of 32 match between England and DR Congo
Fans leaving the Atlanta Stadium following England’s victory against DR Congo
On the final whistle in Atlanta, nerve-shredded fans went wild with excitement, belting out Wonderwall and ‘Football’s Coming Home’ in the vast air-conditioned stadium.
Retired Civil servant David Delves, 60, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said: ‘Kane is able! What a second goal that was. Unstoppable.’
Company director Michael Nobes, 64, from Portsmouth, added: ‘Crikey, they do put you through a lot of stress, I didn’t think my heart would hold out. Harry Kane, wow, just amazing – onto Mexico now.’
Supporter Mark Perkins, 45, from Liverpool, said: ‘Harry came up with the goods again, he is Mr Dependable, Mexico in Mexico City will be a very different game, a lot harder.’
Glen Harris, 66, from Lincoln, said: ‘We are here now – and going all the way to the final. I have booked six weeks and want to see us win the World Cup.’
Dominic Webb, 34, a software designer of Swindon, Wiltshire, said: ‘I’ll be dancing on the ceiling tonight, just buzzing.
‘My whole trip – and it’s cost absolutely thousands – has been, for me, about getting to Mexico. Playing against Mexico in Mexico is going to be a complete dream.’
John Clift, 60, who is originally from Wigan but now lives in Australia, said: ‘I’m absolutely exhausted. That was 80 minutes of torture for me.
‘I thought we were slow, lethargic a lot of the time.
‘We had chances and missed them and you just thought it was going to be one of those days.
‘Thankfully we did it in the end but we made hard work of that.’
Another fan outside the stadium in Atlanta said he believed were going all the way in the tournament.
Spencer Dalby, 21, from Huddersfield, SAI: ‘What annoys me about is it takes so much time to tap into the belief.
‘Once we tap into the belief and the passion and the positive attitude – look at us, we’re unstoppable.
‘But you’ve seen it in the first and second game – we’re stale, we sit back.
‘Then, all of a sudden, we turn our engine on and look at us now, we’re going all the way honestly – and I’m going all the way as well.’
The victory means England fans face a wallet-busting scramble for flights and tickets to the Mexican capital for Sunday night’s game, which will kick off at 1am on Monday UK time.
Hundreds of pubs are applying for ultra-late licences to show to allow punters to pull all-nighters, with the potential for a 4am finish if the game goes to extra time and penalties.
Employers are bracing for a ‘mass sickie event’ next Monday morning as bleary-eyed workers sleep off the match.
Boxpark venues in Croydon, Wembley, Liverpool, Camden and Shoreditch are among hundreds of venues to obtain temporary licence extensions to give drinkers lots of extra time.
Tonight’s match marks the first time UK fans will benefit from a 1am nationwide late licensing extension, which will see pub doors kept open from 11pm to 1am.
The extra two-hour drinking window will see 14 million pints pulled in pubs and another 14 million drunk at home during the match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Some experts predict some staff will go further and pull a sickie on ‘Bunk Off Wednesday’ and dedicate their whole day to alcohol-fuelled pre-match partying.
The sound of celebration also swept through the grounds of Wimbledon as many of the grand slam attendees followed the moment on their phones while play continued on Centre Court.
Murray Mound was filled with spectators whose eyes are on their mobile phones rather than the big screens showing the second round of ladies’ singles being played on Centre Court.
While those in the front rows remained focused on the tennis, further back, fans relaxed on picnic blankets with tablets, laptops and phones showing the game.
The first two-thirds of tonight’s match were desperate for England. Fans had their heads in their hands after just six minutes when 28-year-old DR Congo winger Brian Cipenga sliced the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
DR Congo fans – vastly outnumbered by England supporters – went wild, filling the stadium with noise and dancing and singing in the stands.
In a nightmare first half, Jude Bellingham got a yellow card for a poor tackle and captain Harry Kane was denied a penalty after being flattened while on his way to goal.
Things started slowly for England and the central African side went into an early lead when The Leopard’s Brian Cipenga scored after seven minutes
Head in hands: England fans watch on at Brighton beach as the Three Lions take on DR Congo
Fans watch a screening of the World Cup match between England and DR Congo at 4theFans fan park at Central Park Brighton Beach
The DR Congo then almost got a second goal but hit the post, while shots on target by Bellingham and Kane were both saved by the Congo goalie.
The belated win was a relief for England’s sweating army of travelling supporters.
They had followed the team on a 5,000-mile odyssey, from their sensational first game in Dallas, beating Croatia 4-2, then the draw with Ghana in Boston and New York for the 2-0 defeat of Panama.
In Atlanta, fans enjoyed the sweltering southern city to the full, turning the Hudson Grille bar into a corner of England belting out anthems Sweet Caroline and Football’s Coming Home.
At the Skol Brewing Company, England supporters even limbered up for the game by indulging in a spot of axe throwing, costing $26 a person.
Project manager Dan Kraus, 49, from Middlesborough, said: ‘We thought we would give it a go. It’s completely mad. Can you imagine it at home? Axe throwing in a pub? Health and Safety would have a fit.’
In a refreshing change, beers in Atlanta are the cheapest so far in the World Cup. The cost is £6.55, a relief from the last stop, New Jersey, where it was £15.47. A slice of pizza is just $3, compared with three times more at other stadiums.
At the Hudson Grille England fans Adam Rathmill, 52, from Langley near Staines, Berkshire and Phil Barker, 45, from Peterborough, were downing Bloody Marys and pints of Guinness for breakfast with dozens of other supporters.
Diamond polisher Mr Rathmill told the Daily Mail: ‘I’d love to go to the next round or even the final but short of selling a kidney I just can’t justify it, my wife would go mad.
Company director Mr Barker, said: ‘Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are on form at the moment…Mexico in Mexico City, that will be really tough and I can’t see them doing it.
‘To be fair though, if they did win that one then I think they could go all the way but it will be hard because of the quality of the teams left in it. Argentina and France look really good.’
Electrician Ian Potter, 49, Nottingham, said: ‘Even if they get through to the final, I won’t go, the cost is ridiculous. I looked this morning and they had tickets on sale for £11,000, how on earth can I justify that, it’s madness, I will watch it on the TV at home.’
Fitness equipment salesman Adam Small, 48, Nottingham, said: ‘Everyone’s given the team a bit of a hard time but they’ve done what they needed to do. I’m very tempted to go to Mexico.
‘I’m supposed to be going to the Dominican Republic on holiday next week so I might cancel that and go to Mexico City instead, I’m in two minds.’
Financial trader David Whitehouse, 48, originally from Birmingham but now living in Chicago, was with his son Charlie, seven, and said: ‘I grew up with football and really got into it with the 1986 World Cup and I’m throwing it at Charlie and he’s really getting into it as well.
‘I will give Mexico a miss but I’m keeping half an eye on Miami if we get through.’
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