New Delhi, July 2 -- ATLANTA - The record arrived in the 86th minute, later than it should have, in a match England were supposed to win without drama. Harry Kane's second goal of the evening at Atlanta Stadium moved him past Pele on the all-time World Cup goals list to 13 career tournament strikes, matching Just Fontaine's 1958 benchmark along the way. The achievement could have been celebrated at length. Instead it served mainly to confirm England had survived something they should not have had to survive.

DR Congo took the lead through Brian Cipenga in the first half. England had controlled possession and territory across the opening 45 minutes, and then conceded from what amounted to Congo's first genuine attacking moment. Goalkeeper...