Why England, Harry Kane Were Not Awarded Penalty vs. DR Congo
With England trailing to DR Congo in the first half of Wednesday's World Cup round of 32 match, Harry Kane thought he had secured the Three Lions a penalty from which to equalize.
The England captain knocked the ball past Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau and fell to the ground after contact with his legs.
Referee Adham Makhadmeh blew his whistle, but rather than point to the penalty spot, he signaled a free kick for DR Congo. Kane avoided a yellow card for an apparent dive, but was incensed and adamant he'd been brought down by Mpasi-Nzau.
There was a VAR review, but no penalty. England fans booed. Meanwhile, heavily partisan analysts for BBC Sport in the United Kingdom were perplexed and couldn't get beyond the fact there was contact between Kane and the goalkeeper but no award of a penalty. "They have got that so wrong," ex-England No. 1 Paul Robinson cried.
Alan Shearer, England captain at the 1998 World Cup, claimed Kane had "every right" to initiate that contact and hit the deck. "There is contact, there is no doubt. For me that is a penalty."
Kane ‘Jumps into the Goalkeeper'
There is no debate that Mpasi-Nzau made contact with Kane and sent him tumbling. However, there was more to the incident than that alone. The England player was already starting to fall before he reached the approaching goalkeeper, a consequence of his forward momentum at pace.
Kane's right toe had gone into the turf to cause that initial stumble. He perhaps realized in that moment the ball was getting away from him and, seeing Mpasi-Nzau coming towards him, decided to put his legs in a place where the goalkeeper would inevitably make the contact.
By the time Mpasi-Nzau, who appeared to pull his hands into his body, got there, Kane was already arching his back to ensure he stayed still and would be ‘fouled.'
Wayne Rooney, Kane's predecessor as England captain and record goalscorer was not convinced. Also working on the U.K.'s BBC broadcast, Rooney said: "He trips himself and jumps into the goalkeeper."
To further explain why the referees decided not to refer the decision to VAR, a high bar and precedent has been set at the tournament. Very few interventions have been made in regards to minimal comings together, as the on-field decision going one or way or the other is not deemed a "clear and obvious error."
One area that has seen significant change is the awarding of free-kicks for goalkeepers who are bumped or put under duress at set pieces. Germany found that out the hard way as Jonathan Tah's goal was ruled out-a moment that eventually led to the four-time champions elimination at the hands of Paraguay.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why England, Harry Kane Were Not Awarded Penalty vs. DR Congo.
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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 12:30 PM.