World Cup 2026, 1 July: Belgium’s comeback, Kane rescues England, USA survive with 10 men

Three round-of-16 matches produced three distinct storylines — a laboured favourite, a 0–2 comeback, and a man-down hold.

England edged through on a Harry Kane brace after spending most of the match behind on the scoreboard. Belgium overturned a 0–2 deficit in the final minutes, equalising in the 88th and converting a VAR-awarded penalty in the 120th. The USA controlled Bosnia throughout and advanced despite losing their top scorer to a straight red.

England 2–1 DR Congo — Kane rescues the favourites

England entered as the clear favourite, and the stats backed it up: xG close to 2.0 against fewer than 1.0 for Congo, more shots, more possession, more threat. For most of the 90 minutes, none of that showed on the scoreboard.

DR Congo took the lead early and held it with organisation and discipline. England pressed and created, but failed to convert — repeatedly. Kane first equalised with a header to make it 1–1, then late in the second half received a pass, shook off his marker and drove a powerful finish into the net for 2–1.

In the round of 16, England travel to the Azteca to face Mexico, in front of stands that have waited 40 years for exactly this occasion. The level on show against Congo will not be enough.

Kane has 5 goals in the tournament — one behind Mbappé and Messi.

England WCI: +14.49% on the following day — a positive result for a side that scraped through a tense match. The Kane brace and the upcoming Azteca fixture keep search interest elevated beyond the standard post-match window.

DR Congo WCI: –21.05% — a contained post-elimination dip. Congo led against one of the tournament favourites and held on for long stretches, which softened the engagement drop.

Belgium 3–2 AET — match of the tournament so far

Belgium’s golden generation — De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, Hazard, Mertens — spent a decade among the contenders and left Russia 2018 with bronze. The current squad is older and less starry; it entered the knockout round without elevated expectations.

Senegal scored in the 20th minute and controlled most of the first half, then doubled the lead after the break — 0–2 by the 50th. The margin was deserved: Senegal were not sitting back but pressing, creating, and winning the key metrics including xG. Belgium’s leaders were visibly arguing on the pitch.

Lukaku pulled one back in the 83rd. Belgium equalised in the 88th — 2–2. Senegal were seven minutes from a famous upset. In the 120th, VAR awarded a penalty. Belgium converted. Final score: 3–2.

When you lead 2–0 with seven minutes left, you close the match — Senegal did not. Belgium, for all the visible dysfunction, pulled it through on experience and execution. By any measure — narrative, statistics, drama — this is the tournament’s best match so far.

Belgium WCI: +29.15% — the highest single-day figure across all 43 tracked nations. A 0–2 comeback generates the kind of attention a routine knockout win cannot produce, and the upcoming Belgium–USA fixture amplifies it further.

Senegal WCI: –6.79% — the mildest post-elimination dip in the knockout stage to date. A team that led 2–0 in the 83rd and still went out continues to live in the media cycle long after the final whistle; Côte d’Ivoire dropped –33.18% yesterday, DR Congo –21.05% today.

USA 1–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina — dark horse advances

The USA were the stronger side across every dimension, and the match followed accordingly. Folarin Balogun scored, then received a straight red for a stamp on a Bosnia player. Pochettino’s side spent the remainder in control — managing tempo and protecting the result without serious difficulty.

Built around defensive organisation, tactical clarity, and a manager who knows how to construct knockout results, the USA are among the most cohesive sides remaining in the bracket. For Bosnia, the round of 16 was already the ceiling; they reached it.

USA WCI: +26.78% — the tournament’s largest market, with a WCI of 68.47M, records the biggest absolute daily gain of the round. The American home market generates volume regardless of the drama on the scoreboard.

Bosnia and Herzegovina WCI: –19.27% — a standard post-elimination dip for a team that exceeded its ceiling without a shock-exit narrative.

Belgium leads the WCI table with the round’s biggest single-day spike

Belgium (+29.15%) is the day’s standout — the 0–2 comeback produces the single largest spike in the tracker across all 43 nations. USA (+26.78%) and England (+14.49%) both register positive winner’s movement, which is rare for sides that just played a knockout match. Senegal –6.79% is an anomaly among eliminated teams: Côte d’Ivoire fell –33.18% yesterday, DR Congo –21.05% today. Bosnia (–19.27%) is a moderate and expected drop.

What’s next: Belgium–USA is the match to watch

England vs Mexico (Mexico City, Azteca). The hosts have not conceded in four matches, just ended a 40-year knockout-stage curse, and play at home. England arrive off a match in which they trailed and struggled to convert dominant possession for long stretches.

Belgium vs USA. Twenty-four hours ago, this looked like a question of quality. After the 0–2 comeback, it reads differently: Belgium arrive on adrenaline, the USA as the fresher and more structured side — and this is potentially the best match of the next round.

Top scorers: Mbappé and Messi on 6, Kane on 5. Three contenders, all still in the tournament.