Mexico 2-3 England: Bellingham double carries England to quarter-finals despite Azteca ferocity

England produced a show of genuine quality to bushed Mexico 3-2 astatine the iconic Estadio Azteca connected Sunday and beforehand to the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, wherever they volition look Norway — who eliminated Brazil — connected Saturday 11 July astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami.

Jude Bellingham scored doubly and Harry Kane converted a penalty, with Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka some starting and contributing straight to the goals.

Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the shortage for the co-hosts, but England's prima prime proved the decisive quality successful a ferocious contention that saw Jarell Quansah sent disconnected successful the 2nd half.

Of England's 11 World Cup goals truthful far, 10 person been scored by Bellingham and Kane.

Mexico 2-3 England: however the crippled unfolded

Mexico started the stronger side, driven by a roaring Azteca crowd. Jordan Pickford was called into enactment early, producing a good prevention to contradict a diving Jimenez header earlier the archetypal drinks break. Until that point, Mexico had been the lone broadside to endanger connected goal.

Tuchel made 3 changes from the DR Congo victory. Quansah replaced the injured Spence astatine right-back, portion Saka and Gordon came successful for Rashford and Madueke successful the guardant enactment — leaving Bellingham and Kane arsenic the lone survivors successful the attacking portion from the erstwhile fixture. After the archetypal hydration break, Saka became England's astir unsafe outlet.

The contention was carnal throughout, with England pinned backmost for agelong spells by Mexico's marauding full-backs and Kane struggling to find abstraction betwixt the lines. Everything changed successful the abstraction of 2 singular first-half minutes.

Bellingham arrived precocious and unmarked to conscionable a Saka transverse with a diving decorativeness connected 36 minutes — replicating the method Jimenez had shown astatine the different end. Two minutes aboriginal helium repeated the feat, this clip with a Kane assistance to marque it 2-0.

Mexico, however, remained ascendant successful presumption of control. Quinones pulled 1 backmost connected 42 minutes with a composed first-time finish, and the hosts had 2 further chances to level earlier half-time, some wasted.

England began the 2nd fractional much positively, rattling the crossbar and forcing Raul Rangel into saves. Even aft Quansah's reddish paper reduced them to 10 men, they extended their pb erstwhile Rangel brought down Gordon wrong the country and Kane converted the resulting penalty.

Jimenez equalised from the spot with 24 minutes remaining, mounting up a frantic finale that England managed by introducing John Stones, Dan Burn and Djed Spence to enactment up a antiaircraft artifact that held steadfast to the last whistle.

Star prime the quality arsenic Mexico bow out

Before kick-off, reports of thunderstorm warnings, Mexico City's altitude and the alleged usage of altitude medicine by England players had dominated the build-up successful the British press. None of it mattered erstwhile the shot was successful play.

Throughout this World Cup, England person relied connected Bellingham and Kane erstwhile the unit has been highest, and the Azteca produced different illustration of that pattern. The Real Madrid midfielder delivered doubly successful the moments erstwhile England appeared astir vulnerable, and Kane — having battled for ample spells without capable work — converted from the spot erstwhile the infinitesimal demanded it.

The first-half communicative explains precisely wherefore England's dependence connected this concern has proven some a spot and a concern. When required, the brace find a mode done — including here, against a Mexico broadside that had much of the ball, much of the lucifer and a afloat location down them.

With Mexico and Canada some eliminated, lone the United States stay among the 3 co-hosts. Mauricio Pochettino's broadside look Belgium successful their ain round-of-16 fixture connected Monday 6 July.