90 min +7: Wissa loops a fine effort towards the top right, but it’s always sailing over the bar. He could have done with being a couple of yards further out. That’s surely that.

90 min +6: Wissa barges has way down the middle, and is unceremoniously upended by Bellingham, who is lucky to avoid a second yellow. One last chance for the DRC coming up. Wissa will take it himself.

90 min +4: Anderson takes the ball to the corner flag, and the clock is England’s friend now.

90 min +2: Kane’s shot whistled into the net at 94 km/h. Some way to decide the match, and to drag England out of the malodorous stuff.

90 min +1: Bongonda drives down the right and draws a foul from Gordon. Before the free kick can be taken, Rice, cramping up, is replaced by Stones.

90 min: There will be six additional minutes.

89 min: A double change for the DRC as Moutoussamy and Masuaku make way for Mayele and Joris Kayembe.

88 min: That was a hell of a strike. Absolutely, utterly unstoppable. The DRC defenders look distraught. So close but yet so far.

85 min: Elia crosses from the left. Guehi heads the ball back to him. Elia tries a shot from the corner of the box, but doesn’t catch it, and the ball dribbles through to Pickford.

83 min: … so having said that, the DRC spend a bit of time in England’s half. Elia probes down the left, but can’t get past Rice, who suddenly looks like England’s best bet at right-back.

82 min: Bellingham worms his way down the left, reaches the byline and tries to force the ball through to O’Reilly, six yards out. But there are too many defenders in the way, and the ball’s eventually hacked clear. England are pinning the DRC back, though.

80 min: Gordon pushes the ball past Mbemba on the left, hoping to instigate a footrace. Instead he runs slap-bang into the defender, who ambles off with the ball.

79 min: Anderson has a dig from 25 yards. His attempted curler into the top right is skied over the bar.

78 min: Bongonda’s first act is to launch a long pass down the middle. Wissa is ahead of the back-tracking England defenders, but Pickford has read the danger and races from his box to clear.

77 min: The DRC make a double change, replacing Cipenga and Mukau with Bongonda and Kayembe.

73 min: The DRC clear the corner, but Cipenga hauls down Konsa, and it’s a free kick. Rice, who had just taken the corner on the left, runs over to take this set piece on the right. It’s all a waste of energy, as nothing comes of it.

72 min: Saka curls in from the right. Gordon prepares to head goalwards at the far stick, but Wan-Bissaka gets in ahead to flick out for a corner. Rice trots over to take.

71 min: The game restarts, with England having made an attacking substitution. Spence is replaced by Eze, with Rice filling the gap vacated at right-back.

70 min: Thomas Tuchel is giving his team quite the passionate team-talk. England are being told what’s what. “If you’ve had enough of Heart of Darkness references,” writes James McVeigh, “maybe we could move on to England’s hopes being Gone with the Wind in Atlanta.”

68 min: … and that’s drinks. ♬ ♪ ♫ Skol Skol Skol Skol! ♬ ♪ ♫

67 min: Konsa tugs at Wissa’s shirt, to stop the DRC man tearing away down the left touchline. A foul, nothing more. Another possible yellow card, but the referee doesn’t show one.

65 min: Saka crosses from the right. Kane can’t win a header and the DRC counter through their new man Elia, who looks like winning a footrace down the right with O’Reilly, until the England man does well to battle back and nick the ball off him. That was a good duel.

64 min: The second corner is a non-event. Then the DRC make their first change, replacing the impressive Mbuku with Elia.

63 min: The corner’s played short back up the flank. Mbuku cuts in from the right and aims for the top-left corner. Anderson eyebrows over the bar. That was heading in.

62 min: Mbuku advances down the right and wins a corner off O’Reilly. From which …

61 min: England make a double change, switching out their wingers. Off go Rashford and Madueke, on come Gordon and Saka.

59 min: Anderson comes clanking in on Sadiki. It should be a foul, and possibly a booking, but it ends up being neither. Kane then tries to play Rashford through but his attempted defence-splitter is intercepted.

58 min: Rashford swings a cross in from the left … miles over the bar. He puts his head in his hands. A few boos. A lot of English frustration.

56 min: Spence traps Masuaku near the right-hand corner flag, but the DRC defender spins and plays the ball off his England counterpart for a goal kick. “Is that Jan Tomaszewski in goal?” wonders Andrew Goudie.

54 min: Madueke crosses from the right. Rashford rises highest but plants his header miles over the bar. England are making chances. But they’re not taking them. Mpasi a big factor in all of that, to be fair.

53 min: Now it’s Bellingham’s turn to shoot from a tight angle on the left. Or was the intention to cross? Either way, it’s heading into the top-left corner, but Mpasi sticks up a strong hand to block. Another stunning save!

52 min: England immediately counter through Rashford, who enters the box from the left before lashing a drive into the side netting.

51 min: Mbuku has the opportunity to release Wan-Bissaka into acres of space down the right. He passes, but Guehi dives desperately to block. It’s brilliant defending, because had he not stopped the crossfield ball, Wan-Bissaka was away, clear through on goal.

50 min: Before it can be taken, Kane shoves Mbemba to the ground. The referee gives both of them the what-for, and then the corner is taken, a complete waste of time.

49 min: O’Reilly wins a corner down the left. Rice wanders across to take. Once again he delivers long, and Bellingham prepares to head home at the far stick. But Masuaku is on point to head behind. Another Rice corner coming up, this time from the right.

48 min: Anderson nicks the ball off Masuaku, and has the chance to slip Bellingham into the box from the right. But he overhits the pass. Goal kick.

47 min: Mbuku and Wan-Bissaka exchange passes down the right, the latter sent into the England box. The cut-back is intercepted by Anderson and cleared, but England were once again found to be defensively lacking. Gaps again.

The DRC get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. “Should have been a free kick against Kane for kicking the keeper’s hand, plus one for diving,” writes Alex Welby, who may or may not be deliberately pressing buttons for sport. “That’s a red before you get to the yellow for dissent. He got off lightly.”

The game in pictures. The best images from the match at Atlanta Stadium, for your leisure and pleasure. More to be added as things develop, too, because we love to spoil you.

It’s the Anthony Barry Half-Time Show!!! “We still have 45 minutes to play … obviously to concede an early goal to a team that plays this style of football is never a good thing … normally carry you into a state of shock … but it’s released our guys … handbrake off … from there we’ve played a high-level game … created many, many, many chances … the goalkeeper the man of the match so far … it’s absolutely not a time to panic … it’s just about continuing to play in our way, in our rhythm … not a time to play gung-ho football … continue to attack … keep the back door shut and we’ll come back into the game.”

Half-time postbag. “Everyone from Congo’s side announced loudly to anyone who would listen that they would follow Ghana and park the bus tonight. I feel they laid a trap and England just walked into it. Congo didn’t come to this match to park the bus, they’ve been in it for the win from the first minute, and England looks like they never had a plan for this scenario” – Nelson Calvinho

“If this ends up in the upset to end all upsets (and there’s along way to go upriver yet), there’ll be a lot of Heart of Darkness headlines tomorrow. No doubt one or two English ones citing ‘The Horror! The Horror!’ But the part of the novel this could end up echoing is the sight of the European ‘pilgrims’ shooting aimlessly into a wall of forest trees, as the arrows of a supposedly weaker enemy pick them off” – Justin Kavanagh

“Even if we win this game, and that’s a very big if based on what we’re currently seeing, this team will be eaten alive by Mexico” – Alex Adams

“To be an England supporter is to hate yourself a little. My default position is to support the underdog, and DR Congo have made this an amazing match and to a man are playing out of their skin. This could be one of the greatest World Cup stories, and I might just want it to happen a little. Dear me” – Robin Mudie

“This was very poorly playacted by Kane. He needs to practice going down in the box much more. Might have got a yellow card for his trouble” – Sujit A

“How does Kane avoid a yellow for simulation when even the ref made the dive motion?” – Erik Shilts

“I clearly missed a meeting. When did Lev Yashin declare for the DRC? Unbelievable goalkeeping” – Steven Grundy

45 min +6: Bellingham’s sheer bustle wins a corner down the left. One last chance for England in this first half. Rice to deliver. He sends long. Kane meets the dropping ball on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, and volleys goalwards … only for the irrepressible Mpasi to save this one with his trouser arrangement! Oof! That’s gonna hurt. But he’s saved another certain goal.

45 min +5: Cipenga has a chance to cross for Wissa in the middle, but Spence cuts it out. Cipenga-Spence has been the signature duel of the first half.

45 min +3: Cipenga flicks the ball over Spence’s head but can’t meet it again when it drops into the England box. The DRC don’t launch too many attacks, but when they do, they look dangerous.

45 min +2: Madueke whips a cross in from the right. Bellingham flashes a header towards the bottom-left corner. Nothing wrong with any of that, but Mpasi is inspired, sticking out a hand to make a sensational reaction stop.

45 min +1: A long ball nearly releases Mbuku down the inside-right channel. O’Reilly shows great strength to hold the DRC forward off and shepherd the ball back to Pickford. Fine last-man defending.

45 min: There will be six additional first-half minutes.

44 min: VAR has a look at the possible penalty … and agrees that Kane manufactured the situation. Play on. It could have been 0-2, it could have been 1-1, but here we are. The small margins!

43 min: … then up the other end, Kane chases a ball into the DRC box down the inside-right channel. Mpasi comes out to smother. Kane knocks the ball past the keeper, then goes over. There’s minimal contact, and Kane instigated it. The referee waves play on. Kane and Thomas Tuchel are livid.

42 min: The DRC should be two up. Wan-Bissaka curls a low cross to the near post. Wissa meets it, six yards out, ahead of Konsa … and passes the ball onto the base of the right-hand post and out for a goal kick! What a miss!

41 min: Spence romps down the right – he’s been much more impressive going forward – but can’t get past Tuanzebe. The ball clanks off him for a goal kick.

40 min: Mbuku jinks down the right and wins the DRC’s first corner of the evening. Nothing comes of it.

39 min: Rice’s free kick once again fails to beat the first man. The DRC clear.

38 min: Mbuku, Wan-Bissaka and Wissa combine cutely down the right, and look to have opened England up, only for the offside flag to go up. England counter through Rashford along the left touchline, and he’s brought down by Mukau, who somehow escapes a yellow card despite having taken a handful of shirt.

36 min: Rashford curls a cross in for Kane, who is denied a shot goalwards by Tuanzebe’s brilliantly timed block. Then another phase of attack, and a shot from Rashford, six yards out, is blocked by Wan-Bissaka on the line! Much better from England, who have picked up the pace since the hydration break.

34 min: Madueke goes on another run down the right. He’s looked fairly lively, though the final ball is currently lacking.

32 min: The DRC respond to that English flurry with a period of possession in the middle of the park. Then suddenly Cipenga nips past Spence down the left. Twice. The first time his chipped cross nearly finds Wissa, but Guehi eyebrows clear. The second time he blazes wildly over the bar. Spence is being given a very hard time by Cipenga. “Let me get this straight,” begins Hugh Molloy. “Trent Alexander-Arnold wasn’t selected because of his defensive frailties. Glad that’s worked out well.”

30 min: Rice crosses from the right. Good whipped delivery. Bellingham meets it, six yards out, and guides a header towards the top right. It’s great play all round, but unfortunately for England, that also includes Mpasi, who arcs his back and sticks out an arm to athletically turn the ball away. England have been miles better since being told what’s what during that hydration break.

28 min: Rice’s delivery of the free kick is poor. It should be cleared by first man Sadiki, but he misses the ball altogether. Instead the ball hits Konsa, and flies inches wide of the top-right corner. Konsa didn’t know much about that, but had it been on target, it was a goal, because Mpasi was totally out of the game.

27 min: Spence accelerates down the right and is crudely clipped by Sadiki, arriving late and with extreme prejudice. Into the book he goes.

26 min: The game restarts. Madueke dribbles into the DRC box from the right, then checks back and falls over, palmed off by Masuaku. He claims a penalty – and so do thousands of England fans – but that’s not happening. “We’ve all been saying that our defence would be in real trouble when they came up against a first-class attack,” writes Simon Cherry. “Our defence clearly couldn’t be bothered to wait for that.”

25 min: As for the drinks and snacks themselves, England shall serve up plates/pints of vindaloo, it says here, while DR Congo will get the party started with a four-pack of Skol.

23 min: Rashford lets a simple pass run under his boot and out for a throw. And that’s drinks. My word, England need this hydration break, because Thomas Tuchel needs to issue some tactical instruction and words of encouragement.

21 min: Now Rashford goes snapping in on Wan-Bissaka, then Mbuku in short order. Just a free kick, but another booking wouldn’t have been an outrage. A couple of England players need to take it down a notch.

19 min: Bellingham comes sliding in aggressively on Mbuku, and he goes into the book. He’s not been in a good humour since England fell behind, and now he’ll have to watch himself for the rest of the game.

18 min: Konsa faffs around on the edge of his own box, and is nearly stripped of possession by Cipenga. He eventually clears, after some baroque twisting and turning, but that was too close for comfort.

16 min: O’Reilly crosses from the left. Bellingham rises, hoping to head goalwards from six yards, but is beaten to the ball by Mpasi, who punches clear with great power. Meanwhile James McVeigh wonders: “Have England just entered Conrad’s ‘heart of darkness’?”

14 min: O’Reilly, Rashford and Rice combine down the left to win England’s first corner of the game. Rice will send it in … but he hits it too long, over everyone’s head, and the ball sails harmlessly out for a goal kick. “Terrible defending,” tut-tuts Martin Gamage. “Awful goalkeeping. The only thing I can say is at least it’s happened in the 7th minute and not the 87th.”

13 min: England try to get back on an equilibrium. A bit of sterile possession in the midfield as they try to clear their minds. “We must make it England 0 - 2 DRC,” insists krishnamoorthy v. “That goal is counted twice foe the beauty of the goal celebration which was an Olympic-level floor event.”

11 min: Mpasi is fine to continue. Now, that was a hell of a shot by Cipenga. But should Pickford have let that in at his near post? Not so sure about that. There’s also the small matter of the England back four, who were all over the shop. A huge amount of space in the middle, and to the right of the defence, with only Spence guarding it. England are rattled, anyway, and Bellingham is already snapping at someone on the bench.

9 min: After some wild celebrations, the game restarts, and Mpasi claims Pickford’s long bloot forward. But in doing so, he falls over his team-mate Masuaku and lands on his back from a great height. Play stops awhile.

6 min: Another short but calm period of possession for the DRC. “For those who care about these things, is Moutoussamy the first player of Indian heritage to play in a World Cup knockout game?” wonders Dr Satya Gunput. “I think he has an Indo-Guadelopean parent. Vikash Dhorasoo was the first, but he only played in the group stages for France. He was of Indo-Mauritian heritage. Interesting that their heritages both come from sugar cane plantation colonies that were/are French!”

5 min: Rashford swings a cross into the mixer from the left. It flies harmlessly wide right of the goal, but Mpasi backpedaled in a panic, unsure of where the ball was headed. Not a banner couple of moments for the DRC keeper.

3 min: The DRC get a feel of the ball. Their keeper Mpasi perhaps too much of one. He faffs over a clearance and is this close to being charged down by Bellingham. Nanoseconds from disaster for the DRC. Great work from Bellingham.

1 min: A fast start by England, and Madueke rolls a pass down the inside-right channel in the hope of releasing Rice into the box. Rice cuts back, but he’s not reached the ball in time. Goal kick. “Oh and well done to DRC for making it bespoke for this game,” adds Paul Griffin. “It’s a germane pennant.”

England get the ball rolling. One heck of an atmosphere in the indoor Atlanta Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile Paul Griffin announces: “That England pennant is a disgrace. I’m sick of people - probably in Brussels - meddling with our merch and doing risk assessments and that. It’s time to leave the EU. Who will join me on this noble journey? What’s the worst that could happen?”

The teams are out! England in crisp white, the DRC in shimmering blue. There will be anthems. (♬ ♪ ♫ Congo! / Blessed gift, Congo! / Of our forefathers, Congo! / Oh fatherland, Congo! / Oh beloved, Congo! ♬ ♪ ♫ ) There will be fist-bumps. There will be coins tossed. There will be hope. Good luck everyone, we’ll be off in a wee while. “I don’t really know who to support,” begins James Womack. “After taking the place that I hoped would have gone to the glorious Uzbeks, it’s probably DRC, but I have no doubts at all about the music for this evening…”

The great pennant showdown: the aftermath. “Yowzers, that DR Congo pennant is smokin’ hot! They even personalised it for England, whereas England’s just has a generic ‘Round of 32’. Rude!” – Peter Oh

“Is there a subliminal message with an Italian/Irish tone to the Congolese pennant?” – swearing enthusiast / Father Ted fan Wayne Charlton

“Sorry to point out. England need to rethink the eyes and nose of the lions on the pennant. Or I need some serious help” – Agnello Figueiredo

… and in the interests of balance, because at the Guardian we’re nothing if not a broad church …

“I disagree with you on the pennants. While England’s is plain, it is classic and simple. And more importantly, embroidered” – Matt Emerson

Pre-match postbag. “That is a very open expensive side for England. They have struggled against a low block in every game. He needs to be pragmatic enough to make changes faster if it doesn’t work. Wisdom is having a plan B” – Kev The Poet

“Looking at this game and the potential of Mexico at the Azteca in the last 16 it strikes me Thomas Tuchel must be praying that Nico O’Reilly comes through unscathed. The thought of Dan Burn at left back, at altitude, in a sweltering Azteca is terrifying. Well it’s amusing to NUFC fans like me who watch him struggle at left back for us ahead Lewis Hall on occasion. Absolutely baffling selection” – Reuven Fletcher

“I’m now very worried having read the summary of Tuchel’s interview with the BBC just now. How is he surprised they are going to try and copy Ghana? Mainoo is who we need to unlock a low block with little space. Anderson is a great player - but we don’t need a deep holding midfielder today” – John Harrison

“After four years living in DRC, it’s time for me to leave this evening. I’d rather, selfishly for ease of immigration control with my British passport but more for the huge uplift so sorely needed here, an upset. Allez les léopards!” – Dan Owen

“As a Bradford City fan, it’s not often we get to cheer on ‘one of our own’ in an England shirt - in fact, I’ve waited most of my entire 53 years to chant ‘Bradford City’s Jordan Pickford’ (on loan from Sunderland, 2014-15 season). But this time around, I have a nagging unease he may dishonour the claret-and-amber jersey he no doubt still has framed in his trophy room. He’s always been gobby - which I love - but this tournament he’s also looking a bit flappy and out of sorts. Any ideas why? He was lucky not to get a red against Ghana, for starters. Didn’t see much/any of Everton this season (who I believe he’s now reduced to playing for)” – Matt Tempest

The great pennant showdown. It’s not even close. It’s a rout.

Poor Harry must be so embarrassed.

… and it sounds like Jacob Steinberg agrees with Thomas Tuchel’s analysis, because he’s just pinged me this message: “It looks like the DRC have replicated the Ghana lineup.”

Thomas Tuchel speaks to the BBC. “We have everything that is most important … commitment, togetherness, team spirit … we need to arrive in the right mindset … we are well prepared … ready to decide the match in the little moments … Bukayo will finish the match for us today … [we have to be wary of] counter-attacks and physicality … we just saw the line-up and we need to figure it out … now it looks like a completely new formation … they try to copy Ghana in a 4-5-1 … we have a really deep block to drill in and open up … we will be careful in our structure while we attack to not expose ourselves … we will attack with five to six players … four or five have to take care of the coverage … protect against counter attacks … attack with freedom but it is important we are smart … the whole package.”

England have never lost to African opposition at the World Cup … but it’s not always been plain sailing. Ray Wilkins was sent off in a goalless draw with Morocco in the 1986 groups. Egypt were obdurate in the 1990 groups, Mark Wright’s goal the only difference. Cameroon, let’s face it, were the better team in the quarters that year, but ended up losing 3-2 thanks to Gary Lineker’s pair of penalties. England beat Tunisia 2-0 in 1998 and 2-1 in 2018, and Senegal 3-0 in 2022, though the Senegalese paid them back for that last one with a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground last June, the first-ever victory for Africa in any context against the Three Lions. There also have been goalless draws with Nigeria (2002), Algeria (2010) and now Ghana (last week). History very much on England’s side, then.

The DRC make one change following the 3-1 win over Uzbekistan. Striker Cédric Bakambu makes way for an extra midfielder in Ngal’ayel Mukau. There are plenty of stars familiar to fans of British football in the team: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland) and Yoane Wissa (Newcastle) start, while Aaron Tshibola (Kilmarnock) and Edo Kayembe (Watford) are on the bench.

No surprises in the England starting XI. Especially if you’ve just read that communiqué from Jacob Steinberg. Thomas Tuchel makes three changes to his starting XI after the 2-0 win over Panama. Djed Spence replaces the injured Jarell Quansah at the problem position of right-back. Declan Rice returns at the expense of Morgan Rogers. And Noni Madueke starts on the right wing again, displacing his Arsenal colleague Bukayo Saka.

Some early team news from Jacob Steinberg, our man in Atlanta. “Team out soon but it’s expected to be Declan Rice in for Morgan Rogers, Djed Spence for the injured Jarell Quansah and Noni Madueke in for Bukayo Saka.”

With still well over an hour until kick-off, you’ll have plenty of spare time on your hands. Let us therefore point you in the direction of Guardian puzzles, now featuring a new limited-edition daily puzzle to guess the international footballer: On the ball: world stage. What are you waiting for? Off you go, the MBM will still be here when you get back.

It would be remiss of us not to mention the hopes and dreams of the DRC’s opponents England as well. You want triple-leonine-infused copy? We got triple-leonine-infused copy!

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are competing in their second World Cup. It’s been a much more successful campaign than the first, which they competed as Zaire in 1974: four points and a positive goal difference, compared to zero points, no goals scored and 14 conceded. No wonder, then, that belief in the DRC squad ahead of the biggest match in their history is high.

Here’s how the Democratic Republic of the Congo plotted their way through Group K. A first-ever World Cup finals goal, a first-ever World Cup finals point, and then on from there.

A reminder of how England made their way through Group L. They weren’t the best of times, neither were they the worst of times.