England never accepted defeat against DRC, says Tuchel

Story audio is generated using AI

England came close to making a premature and shocking exit from the World Cup at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Wednesday before Harry Kane rode to the rescue, and manager Thomas Tuchel was proud of how his players refused to accept the defeat staring them in the face.

The DRC took an early lead and were on course to pull off what would have been one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, but England found a way to make it through to the last 16 with a 2-1 win.

“This team today did not accept defeat as an outcome,” Tuchel told reporters.

“They just didn’t accept it, and it makes me very proud because they did what was necessary. The going got tough today, and then they showed up, and we got the deserved win.

“We don’t give in. That’s what this team is about. They didn’t accept it, and it’s so good to get this feeling on the sideline as a coach.”

England looked in real trouble until Kane’s equaliser 15 minutes from time. Tuchel believes his side should have been back on level terms much sooner, though they were up against a Congolese keeper, Lionel Mpasi, in scintillating form.

“I think the halftime result was not a fair result,” Tuchel said. “We conceded very early, which made things more complicated than they were already. I think we didn’t get our press right in the first 15 to 20 minutes.

“I saw that a stronger team attacked more and more with freedom and attacked with more and more threats towards their goal. We kept the belief, and I think even in the second half we kept pushing, pushing, pushing, the goalkeeper kept on saving, incredible saves.”

Tuchel did what he could from the bench, but in the end it came down to his players’ belief.

“While you’re trying to support and while you’re trying to help from the sideline, you get this feeling players are free, players are not anxious,” he said.

“They didn’t play with fear; they played with determination, and then we just didn’t accept it, and we knew these were knockout matches in this part of the tournament.

“You need to find a way, and then you find a way, and the goalkeeper saves again. It makes it even more difficult, so it was absolutely necessary to keep believing and to keep knocking on that door until it breaks.”

England’s reward is a trip to the Azteca Stadium to take on co-hosts Mexico on Sunday.

“It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, most exciting fixtures you can have to play against Mexico in the Azteca,” Tuchel said.

“There will be a lot of obstacles waiting for us. The altitude will, of course, be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It’s just impossible.”