World Cup while you were sleeping: captains fantastic save England, Belgium
Harry Kane and Youri Tielemans both score twice to drag their sides into the last 16 against all the odds
There is a common misconception about the England football anthem Three Lions and what it actually means.
First heard in 1996, and rehashed several times since, it is not the display of arrogance, of bravado or English confidence that some have suggested. Rather it is a message of outsized hope and a lament on the lot of the fans who follow a team that has flattered to deceive on occasions too numerous to mention.
England were at it again on Wednesday in Atlanta, and for more than an hour against the Democratic Republic of Congo it seemed as though the only conversation revolved around how quickly boss Thomas Tuchel would be following Netherlands counterpart Ronald Koeman in doing the decent thing.
That they did not throw it away or blow it away but live to fight another day was entirely down to captain Harry Kane. Still, the last 16 clash with Mexico that has arrived courtesy of the 2-1 win represents another opportunity for collective disappointment and a new verse for an old song.
Not that unrealistic dreams of glory are solely an English affliction, expectations for Belgium have been high, and they too are still alive after a remarkable clash with Senegal. The USA’s clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina will round out the day at 8am, but until then, here’s a look back at what happened overnight.
