Thrilling Azteca Victory
England Beats Mexico 3-2 at Azteca Despite Red Card, Weather Delay to Reach Quarterfinals
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Key Points
1
Jude Bellingham scored two goals within 99 seconds, with the first at the 36th minute and the second at the 38th, moving him to four and five goals in the World Cup run.
2
Jarrell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute after a tackle on Mexico's Jesus Gallardo, with the red card confirmed via a VAR review.
3
The match was delayed for about one hour due to adverse weather around the Azteca Stadium.
4
Raúl Jiménez's late goal came from a VAR-confirmed penalty after a foul credited to Kane on Brian Gutierrez.
5
Norway defeated Brazil 2-0 to reach the quarterfinals, setting England up to meet Norway in the last eight.
England beat Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday to reach the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, becoming the first team to win there since 2013. Jude Bellingham scored twice in 98 seconds, Harry Kane added a penalty, and England held on with 10 men through 11 minutes of stoppage time to seal one of the tournament's most dramatic results. BSS News reported the win as a rare victory at one of football's most feared venues.
England will now face Norway in the quarterfinals in Miami on July 11. Norway reached the last eight by beating Brazil 2-0. The match at the Azteca was delayed an hour by a severe thunderstorm before kicking off in front of over 80,000 fans.
Bellingham's 98-Second Double Stuns the Azteca
Bellingham opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a powerful header from a Bukayo Saka cross. Just 98 seconds later, he tapped in a Kane pass to make it 2-0. The quick-fire double brought Bellingham to five goals for the tournament. Mexico hit back before halftime when Julián Quiñones pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-1. BSS News described Bellingham as the undisputed player of the match.
Kane's role was just as dramatic. He converted a 60th-minute penalty after Anthony Gordon was fouled to restore a two-goal lead. The goal was Kane's sixth of the tournament, putting him one behind the Golden Boot leaders. GB News noted Kane was so hoarse after the final whistle that he could barely speak in his post-match interview.
Quansah's Red Card Forces England Into Survival Mode
The match turned in the 54th minute. Defender Jarrell Quansah was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for a studs-up challenge on Mexico's Jesús Gallardo. The challenge also sparked a touchline confrontation between both benches. Quansah will now miss the quarterfinal through suspension.
Playing with 10 men for over 35 minutes, England relied on Jordan Pickford in goal and defensive discipline to survive. Mexico pulled it back to 3-2 in the 69th minute when Raúl Jiménez converted a VAR-confirmed penalty after Kane was judged to have fouled substitute Brian Gutiérrez. Alan Shearer strongly disagreed with the decision live on BBC, saying "goodness me" when it was given. England then held on through 11 minutes of added time.
History Made at a Stadium Built on English Heartbreak
The Azteca is loaded with painful England memories. It was the venue for the 1986 quarterfinal loss to Argentina, featuring Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal. Before Sunday, Mexico had lost just twice in 89 matches at the stadium and had not lost a competitive game there since 2013. This was Mexico's first-ever World Cup defeat at the Azteca.
England also had to deal with altitude. The stadium sits at 2,240 meters above sea level. The squad arrived just 49 hours before kickoff after flying in from their Kansas City base camp. Several players reported headaches and poor sleep. Coach Thomas Tuchel called it "an iconic match in an iconic stadium" and said he was "very proud" of his team's character under pressure.
Kane's Golden Boot Chase and England's Road to Miami
Kane now has six World Cup goals in this tournament alone. He trails just one goal behind the leaders — Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland. The Independent reported on how Kane played through the drama of both scoring a penalty and conceding one in the same game, the first player to do so in a World Cup match since at least 1966.
England now face Norway, who knocked out Brazil 2-0. The quarterfinal is set for July 11 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Tuchel faces a defensive headache with Quansah suspended and Reece James still injured. Despite those problems, England arrive in Miami as a team that has just done something no side managed for over a decade — win at the Azteca.
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