DR Congo stunned England with a shock early goal in their World Cup Round of 32 tie, with Jordan Pickford beaten at his near post in the seventh minute.
The move was simple. A ball lifted over the top was flicked on centrally by Chancel Mbemba, and Brian Cipenga darted in behind a static England defense to tuck it home and leave the stadium in a state of shock.
Djed Spence lunged across to try to stop him but could not get there in time. Pickford was caught out at the near post, and England — one of the tournament favorites — suddenly looked vulnerable.
Alan Shearer says Pickford should not have been beaten
Working as a pundit for the BBC, Alan Shearer put the blame squarely on the England goalkeeper.
He said: “You can see the shock on the England players’ and fans’ faces — this is not what they expected. Cipenga has no other thought but to get the shot away.
“England are all over the place, Spence comes in with the tackle but can’t get there, and Pickford gets done at his near post. For a keeper of his quality, he shouldn’t be beaten there.”
It was a pointed verdict from a former England captain who rarely singles out an individual. Shearer’s issue was not the goalkeeper alone — the whole backline was pulled apart — but the near-post finish is the kind a keeper of Pickford’s standing is expected to keep out.
The frustration was not confined to the studio, either.
On the pitch, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice were visibly angry in the immediate aftermath, gesturing at teammates as England tried to reset. Bellingham’s mood did not improve, and he was booked soon after for a rash challenge in midfield.
The supporters felt it too. By the time the players were called over for a drinks break, the boos from England’s traveling fans echoed around the stadium.
Thomas Tuchel’s side had plenty of time to respond. But the early damage was done, and Shearer’s point about the England stopper stands regardless of the result.
READ MORE:
England’s ‘most complex scouting mission ever’ mostly wasted before DR Congo World Cup tie
