rewrite this title World Cup 2026: Mexico 2-3 England – Three Lions into quarter-finals after knocking out co-hosts in epic five-goal thriller

England are through to the World Cup quarter-finals after earning one of their greatest knockout results by eliminating co-hosts Mexico with a gutsy 3-2 victory in an extraordinary tie at the Azteca.

Thomas Tuchel’s side overcame Mexico’s significant home advantage and the altitude after kick-off was delayed by an hour and then played the majority of the second half with 10 men when Jarell Quansah was sent off, yet dug in heroically to set up a last-eight meeting against Norway on Saturday.

Mexico hadn’t conceded a goal at the tournament until Jude Bellingham struck twice in the space of 98 seconds during the first half to put England in dreamland, quieting the daunting Azteca, only for Julian Quinones to pull one back before half-time from a soft free-kick.

England survived a late onslaught in the opening period and steadied themselves after the break as Nico O’Reilly struck a post, but then Quansah, at right-back, recklessly slid in and was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute by referee Alireza Faghani following a VAR check.

Faghani was at the centre of a dramatic second half, awarding England a stonewall penalty minutes later when the excellent Anthony Gordon was brought down by the goalkeeper and Harry Kane held his nerve to net his sixth goal of the tournament.

But Faghani was then involved again, pointing to the spot for a Mexico penalty, after being sent to the monitor by VAR, for Kane’s kick on Brian Gutierrez which allowed Jimenez to set up a grandstand finish in the final 20 minutes.

Tuchel switched to a back five, throwing on Dan Burn and Djed Spence in an attempt to see out the tie and they did, throwing their bodies in front of shots and heading clear seemingly endless crosses in an incredible finale.

The key moments from the Azteca

36: GOAL! Rice drives England forward on the counter before Saka crosses to Bellingham to head in the opener.38: GOAL! Just 98 seconds later, England score from kick-off as Kane squares for Bellingham to bundle in.43: GOAL! Mexico hit back as Quinones smashes in at a soft free-kick.45+3: SAVE! Pickford flies high to his right to tip over Jimenez’s header as Mexico push for equaliser late in the half.50: OFF THE WOODWORK! O’Reilly hits the right post with a shot from outside the box as England make fast start in second half.55: RED CARD! Quansah is shown a straight red card for a reckless sliding challenge.60: GOAL! Kane buries a penalty after Gordon is brought down by the goalkeeper.69: GOAL! Jimenez pulls one back with penalty after Kane penalised by VAR for foul.90+11: FULL TIME! England heroically hold on to earn famous victory.

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