England are into the World Cup quarter-finals after a 3-2 win over Mexico in the last 16 at the Azteca Stadium. Jude Bellingham scored twice in quick succession, Harry Kane added a penalty, and England held on after Jarell Quansah’s second-half red card.
The match, delayed by an hour before kick-off, turned sharply in England’s favour when Bellingham struck twice in the first half, ending Mexico’s run without conceding at the tournament. Julian Quinones responded before the interval, keeping the co-hosts in the tie and setting up a far more uncomfortable second half for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Quansah’s dismissal after a VAR-reviewed challenge left England protecting a narrow advantage for much of the second period. Kane’s penalty restored a two-goal cushion, but Mexico answered with a spot-kick converted by Jimenez, forcing England to defend through heavy late pressure and extended stoppage time.
Tuchel’s late switch to a back five, with Dan Burn and Djed Spence introduced, underlined how much of the closing phase was about survival rather than control. England now move on to face Norway, but the match leaves editors with two themes to weigh: Bellingham and Kane’s decisive quality, and the resilience of a team that absorbed major setbacks in a hostile knockout setting.
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