England defeated Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca to advance to a World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami. Jude Bellingham scored twice, Harry Kane added a penalty, and England held on after Jarell Quansah was sent off early in the second half.
The match carried major pressure even before kick-off, with storms delaying play by about an hour and the Azteca atmosphere adding to the challenge. Mexico, beaten only rarely in competitive matches at the venue according to the source report, responded through Julian Quinones before Raul Jimenez’s late penalty made the closing stages tense.
Thomas Tuchel’s changes after the red card became a key part of the story, with John Stones, Dan Burn and Djed Spence all introduced as England protected their lead. Jordan Pickford was also central to the result, making important saves and equalling Peter Shilton’s England World Cup appearance record of 17.
For editors, the wider angle is whether this result changes the perception of Tuchel’s England: the performance combined attacking quality from Bellingham with a long defensive spell under severe pressure. The next test is Norway in Miami on Saturday at 22:00 BST.
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