Jude Bellingham produced another match-winning performance as England defeated Norway 2-1 after extra time on Saturday to book their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Real Madrid midfielder scored both goals for the Three Lions, who came from behind to overcome a resilient Norway side and set up a last-four clash with either defending champions Argentina or Switzerland.
|
|
Norway made the brighter start and deservedly took the lead in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup collected a pass from captain Martin Ødegaard before firing a superb strike into the top corner via the post.
The goal was briefly checked by VAR for a possible foul in the build-up before being awarded.
|
|
|
|---|
England responded just before the interval. Anthony Gordon threaded a clever pass into the box and Bellingham finished first time into the bottom corner to restore parity in stoppage time.
Harry Kane thought he had completed the turnaround moments earlier, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Norway almost regained the lead after the restart when Torbjørn Heggem bundled home from close range, only for another VAR review to rule the goal out because of a foul in the build-up.
The Scandinavians continued to threaten, with Kristoffer Ajer heading against the crossbar before Jordan Pickford produced an outstanding save to deny Patrick Berg.
With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, the tie moved into extra time.
England finally broke the deadlock in the 93rd minute. After Harry Kane’s effort was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, Bellingham reacted quickest to rifle home the rebound and give his side a crucial lead.
READ ALSO: Population vs. Planning: How Cape Verde built a World Cup blueprint Africa cannot ignore
England were later awarded a penalty after Oscar Bobb brought down an opponent, but referee Clément Turpin overturned the decision following a VAR review.
Thomas Tuchel’s men nevertheless held firm to secure a hard-fought victory and keep their hopes of lifting a second World Cup title alive.
Bellingham’s latest heroics further underlined his growing influence on the international stage. At 23 years and 12 days, he became the second-youngest player after Pelé in 1958 to score two or more goals in successive World Cup knockout matches.
His brace also took his tally to six non-penalty goals at a single major tournament, equalling Gary Lineker’s long-standing England record.
England will now await the winners of the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland as they continue their pursuit of a place in the World Cup final.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
