Bellingham double sends 10-man England past Mexico to reach World Cup quarter-finals

Jude Bellingham scored twice and Harry Kane added a third as Thomas Tuchel’s England survived a turbulent night to beat Mexico 3-2 at Mexico City Stadium, setting up a World Cup quarter-final against Norway.

The victory was far from straightforward. Jarell Quansah was dismissed with a straight red card early in the second half following a VAR review, reducing England to ten men. Before that dismissal, a confrontation erupted between both benches. BBC commentator Alan Shearer reported that the altercation had escalated beyond pushing: “It’s all going off on the touchline, they’re scrapping, they’re punching, they’re doing whatever because the Mexican bench, they think it was a terrible tackle from Quansah.”

Controversy continued when Mexico were awarded a second-half penalty after Brian Gutierrez went down under Kane’s challenge. Referee Alireza Faghani initially waved play on before reversing his decision following a VAR review. Former Premier League official Darren Cann backed the call, but Shearer was unconvinced: “That’s a kick of the foot, that’s not a penalty for me. He does clip his foot but not enough to give a penalty away, goodness me.”

Tuchel himself was incensed with the officiating after the final whistle. “Just not good enough, the referees are just not good enough, the fourth official is just not good enough,” the England manager said.

The evening took a more serious turn when Tuchel confirmed that captain Jordan Henderson had been taken to hospital with a significant wrist injury, sustained after falling over advertising hoardings during the post-match celebrations with supporters. Henderson also required oxygen and was stretchered from the stadium.

Kane, meanwhile, was forced to cut short a post-match interview after losing his voice — reportedly a consequence of leading a rendition of Oasis’s Wonderwall during the dressing-room celebrations.

Elsewhere, Norway eliminated Brazil 2-1 in a result that will reverberate across the tournament. Erling Haaland scored twice, continuing his club-versus-international feud with Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes on the biggest stage. Gary Neville was scathing about the Brazilian’s approach to the aerial duel that led to one of the goals: “I’m fuming with Gabriel. He knows that centre-forward better than anybody. For him to stay five yards off him and go for a straight race on a header — with Haaland — absolutely crazy.”

The defeat reduced Casemiro to tears in his post-match interview. “It’s hard to find words right now,” the midfielder said. “It’s a dream when you start playing football. It’s every Brazilian’s dream to win a World Cup. I’m very proud of what we did.”

England’s quarter-final against Norway, a rematch of the club rivalry between Haaland and several Premier League players, now looms as one of the standout ties of the tournament.