Gordon Off the Bench Turns England’s World Cup Nightmare Into a Win

England’s Round of 32 match against DR Congo on Wednesday was not supposed to be this hard. But soccer tournaments rarely care about the script.

DR Congo scored first. They looked faster. They made England look like a team that had forgotten how to break down a compact defense. And for about 70 minutes, the Three Lions were headed toward one of those baffling World Cup exits that haunt a manager for years.

Then Anthony Gordon happened.

The Newcastle winger came off the bench and within minutes had changed the entire feel of the game. He crossed for Harry Kane to head home the equalizer, and then, in the 86th minute, he slipped Kane through for the winner. England walked out of the stadium with a 2-1 win and a date with co-host Mexico in the last 16.

Tuchel credits the bench

Thomas Tuchel didn’t exactly give himself a victory lap in the post-game press conference. Instead, he pointed at the guys who started the game on the sideline.

“Like I said the whole tournament, the energy and team spirit is at the highest level,” Tuchel said. “Everyone understands which part of the tournament we are in at the moment. The players who don’t play keep pushing and pushing, they are positive in the water breaks. Everyone is comfortable when they play, everyone is comfortable when they finish the game.”

It’s the kind of thing a manager says when he knows his starters didn’t get the job done. And honestly, they didn’t. DR Congo’s goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi Nzau had been forced into multiple saves but England kept sputtering in the final third. Kane’s goals masked a performance that looked disjointed and, at times, frustrated.

The turning point

Gordon’s introduction changed the math. He gave England width they had been missing. He attacked defenders instead of passing sideways. His assist on the first goal was a simple cross, but the timing and intent were different from everything England had tried before.

Tuchel acknowledged that coming from behind might actually help this group down the road.

“We want it easy and have the first goal,” he said. “If you have it and come back from one goal down, these are the experiences that give you genuine belief. They are well aware of what they did and what it took today.”

England now faces Mexico in front of what will almost certainly be a hostile crowd. That game will test all the team spirit Tuchel keeps talking about. But for one afternoon at least, the subs bailed out the starters and the Three Lions are still alive.