Players never accepted defeat, says Tuchel

England came close to making a premature and shock exit from the World Cup at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo 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.

DR Congo took an early lead and was 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 last-gasp 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. Like I said, 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 equalizer 15 minutes from time, and Tuchel believes his side should have been back on level terms much sooner, although it was 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 with freedom and attacked with more threats towards their goal.

"We kept the belief and, I think, even in the second half, we kept pushing and pushing, and 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 that players are free, players are not anxious," he said.

"They didn't play with fear, but with determination. We just didn't accept (the result) and we knew that (in) these knockout matches in this part of the tournament, you need to find a way.

"And then, when you find a way, 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 broke."

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

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

REUTERS