The BBC studio pundits were left breathless by the first half of England’s World Cup round of 16 clash with Mexico.
England’s performances coming into this game had left something to be desired, while Mexico had won all of their four previous games without conceding a goal.
But both sides turned up for a pulsating first half that saw England go in 2-1 up at the break.
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‘England were absolutely outstanding’
Kick-off was delayed by an hour after the weather over Mexico City led Estadio Azteca to go into its storm protocol.
Those regulations say that a game may not be in action within 30 minutes of the last lightning strike recorded in an eight-mile radius.
Both sets of fans used that delay to go into full party mode, and what was already expected to be a rambunctious atmosphere was at fever pitch by the time the game actually kicked off.
Every Mexican touch was greeted with a loud ‘ole’ from the predominantly Mexican crowd, while every English touch was met with long, sustained boos and jeers.
Mexico had the better of the early exchanges, with Declan Rice going in the book for a high boot inside a minute and Raul Jimenez forcing a good low save out of Jordan Pickford on the quarter-hour.
But a swift England counter-attack started by Pickford on 36 minutes saw Declan Rice find Bukayo Saka up the right, and he put his cross perfectly onto Jude Bellingham’s diving header to give England the lead.
With Mexico still reeling, Bellingham scored again, sliding home Harry Kane’s ball across the face of goal after excellent work from Elliot Anderson to win possession 25 yards from the opposition goal.
Julian Quinones pulled one back just four minutes later, smashing home the loose ball on the volley after Ezri Konsa was unable to do any more than touch away a whipped free kick across the six yard box.
Jimenez should have done better as Mexico pushed to equalise before the break, but dragged his shot wide of the far post.
Pickford again denied the Wolves forward in acrobatic fashion moments later, turning his looping header over the bar – and it took a dramatic intervention from Bellingham to stop Cesar Montes from applying an easy finish at the back post from the resulting corner.
BBC pundit Joe Hart said on the half-time whistle: “This is an absolute belter of a game. I wish I was in that stadium. The energy is through the roof.
“Just when you thought England had silenced them, for [Mexico] to come back and score that goal, then make it absolute backs to the walls for last five minutes.
“But [England] dug in, big save from Jordan Pickford, good defending from Jude Bellingham – can’t wait for the second half.
Micah Richards said: “England were absolutely outstanding.
“Yeah, there’s things that they can improve on, but in terms of the way the sat in and on the counter attack…that is what England do really well. Rice driving from midfield, Kane linking up really well, Bellingham being that guy to score the goals…it’s absolutely outstanding.
“This is what we wanted. This is the game that all thought it was going to be.