England survived one of the most hostile environments in world football and overcame playing with 10 men to eliminate co-host Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup Round of 16 showdown Sunday at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
In front of more than 80,000 passionate supporters, England weathered an hour-long weather delay, a second-half red card, and a furious Mexican comeback attempt to book its place in the World Cup quarterfinals for the third consecutive tournament.
Now England moves on to face Erling Haaland and Norway in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday with a semifinal berth on the line.
Bellingham Sparks England’s Fast Start
England seized control early behind the brilliance of Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid star scored twice in a span of just 98 seconds, stunning the home crowd and giving England an early two-goal cushion.
Mexico refused to let the atmosphere die, however, as Julián Quiñones found the back of the net before halftime to cut the deficit to 2-1 and reignite the electric Azteca crowd.
The game took another dramatic turn early in the second half. England right back Jarell Quansah was shown a red card in the 54th minute after VAR determined his high challenge on Jesús Gallardo warranted a dismissal.
With England reduced to 10 men, Mexico appeared poised to capitalize on the momentum. Instead, England answered immediately.
Harry Kane Delivers Again
Moments after the sending off, Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel fouled Anthony Gordon inside the penalty area. Harry Kane calmly converted the spot kick to restore England’s two-goal advantage.
The goal marked Kane’s sixth of the tournament and the 14th World Cup goal of his career, tying German legend Gerd Müller for fifth on the tournament’s all-time scoring list.
“It was a crazy game. We had to find something,” Kane said after the match. “All the occasion, the team, everything against us, we found a way.”
Mexico Refuses to Quit
The drama continued just minutes later. Following another VAR review, Kane was ruled to have fouled Brian Gutiérrez inside the penalty area, becoming the first player since at least 1966 to both score and concede a penalty in the same World Cup match.
“I thought I got to the ball first,” Kane said. “It was one of those days. The ref gave a lot against us. In the end, it didn’t matter, so I’m happy.”
Raúl Jiménez converted the penalty to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finish. Despite holding a one-man advantage and the support of the home crowd, Mexico could not find the equalizer against England’s determined defense.
England Makes History at Azteca
The victory was historic for England. They became the first nation to defeat Mexico in a World Cup match at Estadio Azteca and only the third team ever to win a competitive match against El Tri at the legendary venue.
England will now continue its quest for its first World Cup championship since lifting the trophy in 1966.
Mexico’s Heartbreak Continues
For Mexico, another painful chapter was added to its World Cup history. Despite an inspired effort on home soil, El Tri once again fell in the knockout rounds, extending a frustrating trend that has haunted the program for decades.
Mexico has now been eliminated in the Round of 16 eight times since reaching the quarterfinals during the 1986 World Cup—the last time the nation hosted the tournament on its own.
Following Canada’s elimination on Saturday, the United States is now the lone remaining co-host nation. The Americans will face Belgium on Monday with a chance to join England in the World Cup quarterfinals.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
