World Cup 2026: Mexico 2-3 England – Three Lions into quarter-finals after knocking out co-hosts in epic five-goal thriller | Football News

England are by means of to the World Cup quarter-finals after incomes one among their biggest knockout outcomes by eliminating co-hosts Mexico with a gutsy 3-2 victory in a rare tie on the Azteca.

Thomas Tuchel’s aspect overcame Mexico’s important house benefit at altitude, shrugged off a one-hour kick-off delay and survived nearly all of the second half with 10 males after Jarell Quansah was despatched off, digging in heroically following Jude Bellingham’s double and Harry Kane’s penalty to arrange a final-eight assembly with Norway.

Mexico hadn’t conceded a objective on the event till Bellingham struck twice in the area of 98 seconds in the course of the first half to place England in dreamland, quieting the daunting Azteca, just for Julian Quinones to drag one again earlier than half-time from a gentle free-kick.

England survived a late onslaught in the opening interval and steadied themselves after the break as Nico O’Reilly struck a put up, however then Quansah, at proper-again, recklessly slid in and was proven a straight purple card in the 54th minute by referee Alireza Faghani following a VAR test.

Faghani was on the centre of a dramatic second half, awarding England a stonewall penalty minutes later when the wonderful Anthony Gordon was introduced down by the goalkeeper and Kane held his nerve to internet his sixth objective of the event.

But Faghani was then concerned once more, pointing to the spot for a Mexico penalty, after being despatched to the monitor by VAR, for Kane’s kick on Brian Gutierrez which allowed Raul Jimenez to beat Jordan Pickford and arrange a grandstand end in the ultimate 20 minutes.

Tuchel switched to a again 5, throwing on Dan Burn and Djed Spence in an try and see out the tie and the defence did, blocking pictures and heading clear seemingly limitless crosses in an unbelievable finale of a World Cup basic.

The key moments from the Azteca

• 36: GOAL! Rice drives England ahead on the counter earlier than Saka crosses to Bellingham to move in the opener.
• 38: GOAL! Just 98 seconds later, England rating from kick-off as Kane squares for Bellingham to bundle in.
• 43: GOAL! Mexico hit again as Quinones smashes in at a gentle free-kick.
• 45+3: SAVE! Pickford flies excessive to his proper to tip over Jimenez’s header as Mexico push for equaliser late in the half.
• 50: OFF THE WOODWORK! O’Reilly hits the correct put up with a shot from outdoors the field as England make quick begin in second half.
• 55: RED CARD! Quansah is proven a straight purple card for a reckless sliding problem.
• 60: GOAL! Kane buries a penalty after Gordon is introduced down by the goalkeeper.
• 69: GOAL! Jimenez pulls one again with penalty after Kane penalised by VAR for foul.
• 74: SUBS! Tuchel switches to a again 5, bringing on Burn and Spence, to attempt to see out the win.
• 90+10: ALMOST AN OWN-GOAL! Stones places the ball inches previous his personal put up.
• 90+11: FULL TIME! England heroically maintain on in 11 minutes of added time to earn well-known victory.

A World Cup basic in footage…

Kane: We’ll keep in mind this for the remainder of our lives

England captain Harry Kane:

“I think it’s one that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives, and all the fans will as well. Just because of how it came about, the adversity we had to come through, being away from home, all the decisions against us, and we found a way.

“We discovered a deep want from inside to get by means of this recreation, and I simply could not be prouder of the boys.”

Rice: My finest away day in an England shirt

England midfielder Declan Rice:

“I think that’s probably the best England result I’ve experienced, probably the best away day I’ve had in an England shirt. Yeah, everything I expected and it was just an incredible night.”

Tuchel: That is correct mentality

England head coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned:

“Very proud. We needed everything. It was super difficult. In the moments we thought we had caught the momentum, we had setbacks. That is proper mentality.

“This workforce actually imply it. When the going will get powerful, they by no means hand over, they by no means lose perception. It was one step extra.

“We have to take this in. This is Azteca, it is Mexico, a loopy recreation. We left every part out there, each single one among us. We have to take this in, now it is full steam forward.

Tuchel fumes at officers

“It’s just not good enough. Referees are just not good enough. Fourth officials are just not good enough.

“It’s the underside line. Is this a transparent and apparent mistake for the penalty? For positive not, however VAR will get concerned.

“They overturn a situation where he doesn’t even give a foul. Not good enough.”

England’s biggest power is refusing to lose

Sky Sports’ David Richardson:

How will England be overwhelmed? That is what the remaining international locations at this event will begin to ask themselves.

Level with Croatia, behind to DR Congo, right down to 10 males on the Azteca – Thomas Tuchel has constructed a mentality monster that’s overcoming every part thrown at them.

“When the going gets tough, they never give up, they never lose belief,” he mentioned after this memorable victory. This England workforce has guts.

When they needed to dig in, when Dan Burn was known as upon for his first minutes at a significant event, when Jordan Pickford needed to come and punch each cross, they may do it.

But this aspect additionally has the world-class high quality in Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane to go punch-for-punch with anybody. Anthony Gordon delivered his finest England efficiency at simply the correct time too.

Tuchel admitted his aspect can play higher, that there’s nonetheless a “disconnect” in their performances however this more and more seems like a workforce that refuses to lose, and that’s maybe probably the most harmful trait any World Cup contender can possess.

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