ATLANTA, July 1 (Reuters) - 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 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, 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 equaliser 15 minutes from time, and Tuchel believes his side should have been back on level terms much sooner, although 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."
PLAYERS' BELIEF
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, played with determination and then we just didn't accept it and we knew that these 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 that you can have, to play against Mexico in the Azteca," Tuchel said.
"There will be a lot of obstacles waiting for us, not to mention, the altitude will be, of course, a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It's just impossible."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Ed Osmond)
