Ten-man England beat Mexico 3-2 in epic World Cup thriller at Azteca
Ten-man England have secured one of their greatest World Cup victories by defeating host nation Mexico 3-2 at the iconic Estadio Azteca to reach the quarter-finals.
Thomas Tuchel’s side will now travel to Miami on Saturday to face Norway in the last eight of the tournament.
Two goals from Jude Bellingham inspired the monumental triumph in an incredibly hostile environment.
The historic win was achieved despite defender Jarell Quansah receiving a red card early in the second half.
Overcoming the elements and the odds
The dramatic knockout tie was initially delayed by an hour due to severe thunderstorms sweeping across the Mexican capital.
Facing an intimidating atmosphere at an altitude exceeding 7,000 feet, the visiting team breached a formidable fortress where El Tri had previously lost only two of 89 competitive matches.
The German head coach celebrated wildly at the final whistle, embracing his two-goal midfield talisman on the pitch after a physically draining encounter.
A victory for the ages
The Three Lions had faced significant criticism for their spluttering progress through the group stages, but this heroic display answered those doubts emphatically.
Former national team captain Alan Shearer praised the immense resilience shown by the squad under immense pressure.
“Those players have represented their country in magnificent form.”
Shearer told BBC Sport.
“Everything that could have gone against them, everything that was thrown at them – the energy, the altitude – they have got past all of that and they deserved it.”
Surviving 11 agonising minutes of stoppage time with a numerical disadvantage guarantees this phenomenal performance will be remembered alongside the legendary 1966 triumph.