England delivered one of their greatest World Cup performances in one of the fabled tournament’s greatest games. The 8,000 England fans who trekked to the Azteca, making light of the cost and the rain, were rewarded. The millions who stayed up at home, deep into the night, had their loyalty repaid. Nobody was going to fall asleep in drama like this on the night that the Wonderwall that was England’s defence made the Azteca’s wall of noise fall silent.
This was the night when England lived up to their supporters’ beliefs. They showed their attacking class with Jude Bellingham immense. They then displayed their defensive defiance when Jarell Quansah was dismissed. It was a performance of guts that brought glory and a quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday.
England had lions all over the pitch. Jordan Pickford kept relieving pressure by charging through traffic and punching clear. Anthony Gordon was tireless on the left, initially as a winger, then as a defensive midfielder. But the lion king was truly Bellingham. It’s madness that one of the finest footballing talents ever produced in England should have been doubted. He finished the game at centre-forward, Harry Kane having been subbed. He finished the game, closing down opponents, showing the team player he is.
It was England’s No 10 who exorcised the ghosts here, the painful memory of the Hand of God. As if the 40 years since England’s last visit to the Azteca hadn’t felt long enough, kick-off was delayed an hour after the thunderstorm protocol was activated. And then, after the storm over the Azteca, came the storm within, and it came, gloriously, from England, from Bellingham, lightning striking twice between the 36 and 38 minutes.
What a response. What a reason to wait up, to stay awake. Sweet dreams are made of this. School was worth being late for this. For the first goal, England hit on the counter smoothly. Mexico did not know what hit them as England charged down the right. Jordan Pickford launched the move, Declan Rice carried it on, and Bukayo Saka at last looked like the Arsenal starboy rather than the limping winger nursing an Achilles tendinitis problem.
Now there was a burst of pace and positivity, rather than the unconvincing player so far. He ran at Jesus Gallardo, perhaps remembering how the left-back had a nibble at his Achilles. Saka shaped to go inside, went out and dinked the ball across. Kane made the decoy run, creating space for Bellingham to throw himself into, eyes on the prize, his vision never straying from the ball’s flight. Bellingham’s diving header was perfect, too quick and firm for Raul Rangel.
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Mexico’s keeper was beaten again 80 seconds later. Elliot Anderson’s press coughed up the ball. Gordon and Bellingham seized the opportunity, working the ball right to Kane. England’s captain slid in, stretching out his right foot and transferring the ball at pace across the six-yard box. Bellingham timed his run, beating Erik Lira to the ball and sweeping it home. Mexico were stunned. This wasn’t in the script. For those back home, allowed to stay up, this was something to tell teacher whenever school was reached. This was certainly class. Because England were under pressure and stayed defiant. Pickford made two astonishing saves from Raul Jimenez headers, the first low to his left, the second a tip-over – either side of Bellingham’s goals.
England had to withstand predictable pressure and unbelievable noise. It blew down from the fans in the stands, booing every English touch, demanding retribution when Rice’s raised foot caught Luis Romo. The caution came, and fortunately his earlier booking against Ghana was wiped after the group stage. The 70,000+ home support greeted with a triumphant “ole” every promising move in green, and they were given hope when Julian Quinones slammed the ball in after a free-kick ricocheted off Ezri Konsa.
Mexico were in the mood, and only Bellingham’s determination and reflexes hooked the ball clear as Cesar Montes was about to score.
England couldn’t afford any mistakes. They had to keep their composure, because the home fans were screaming for everything, beseeching Alireza Faghani to sanction any infringement, however minor.
And certainly major. When Quansah went in hard and fast on Gallardo, he caught the ball but his right foot continued rising into the Mexican full-back. Faghani required VAR’s intervention to come to the right decision. Quansah walked.
Saka went to right-back, briefly before John Stones arrived at centre-back and Konsa switched to full-back. England breathed determination. When Kane challenged Edson Alvarez, the outstanding Gordon ran on and was brought down by Rangel. Kane made no mistake. 3-1 to 10-man England.
But England never make it easy for themselves. Kane, whose defensive work had been supreme, conceded a penalty for kicking through Brian Gutierrez’s foot. The substitute crumpled to the floor, Mexico appealed, play went on briefly, before VAR again intervened and rightly so. It was soft but still correct. Jimenez ran in, stuttered, and still generated the power to send his kick past Pickford. There was a degree of inevitability about Jimenez’s 46th successful penalty out of 48.
Azteca shook again. Tuchel tweaked again. Dan Burn and Djed Spence came on for Anderson and Nico O’Reilly. England were now 5-3-1. Bellingham, Rice and Gordon shielded the defence, Burn made a powerful clearing header, so did Spence. Pickford came out and connected with vital punches. It was one of the great rearguard actions.
Tuchel twisted again. Kane off. Morgan Rogers on. More legs in attack. The clock ticked down. Then 11 additional minutes were shown. More Pickford punches. More Bellingham running. And then the final whistle, and the quarter-final berth. And then Bellingham named man of the match. Who else?