England are through to the World Cup quarter-finals after surviving a furious Mexico push and a second-half red card in a 3-2 Round of 16 win at Estadio Azteca.
Jude Bellingham scored twice in 99 seconds late in the first half, turning a tight knockout match into England’s night before Mexico could reset. His 36th-minute header from Bukayo Saka’s cross opened the scoring, and his 38th-minute finish from Harry Kane’s setup made it 2-0.
Mexico answered before halftime through Julián Quiñones, whose 42nd-minute strike cut the margin to 2-1 and pulled the stadium back into the tie. From there, the match became less about control and more about whether England could survive pressure, heat and their own discipline.
England survive after Quansah red card
The match changed again in the 54th minute, when Jarell Quansah was shown a red card. Thomas Tuchel responded quickly, replacing Saka with John Stones three minutes later and asking England to protect a lead with 10 men for more than half an hour.
Kane restored England’s two-goal cushion from the penalty spot in the 60th minute. Raúl Jiménez answered with a Mexico penalty nine minutes later, cutting it back to 3-2 and setting up a final stretch that looked nothing like England’s quick first-half burst.
Mexico had the ball, the crowd and the territory late. El Tri finished with 66.8% possession, 20 shots and 12 corners, but England still put five of their six shots on target and leaned on the cushion Bellingham and Kane had built. Jordan Pickford made three saves, and England absorbed 13 minutes of stoppage time before the whistle finally came.
The result ends Mexico’s run on home soil after a perfect group stage and a tournament that had already included a perfect World Cup group finish. It sends England on, after another knockout scare following the comeback win in which Kane rescued England against DR Congo.
The decisive spell was Bellingham’s double. Mexico created the heavier late pressure, but England’s two goals in less than two minutes gave Tuchel’s side enough room to survive the red card, the penalties and the Azteca finish.
