“Seven-souled” England, despite playing with 10 players from the 54th minute, due to Kwanza’s red card, managed to achieve an epic qualification against Mexico in the “Azteca” for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. 

With the final score of 3-2 and Bellingham as the absolute star (two goals), the “Three Lions” will continue in the competition, where in the next phase they will face Norway on 12/7 (00:00). Mexico, after Canada, becomes the second co-host to be left out of the World Cup.

Pickford’s save in the 15th minute on a header by Jimenez was the first big moment of the match. In the space of three minutes, specifically in the 36th and 38th minutes, England “froze” the “Azteca” with two goals by Jude Bellingham from assists by Kane and Saka.

The match after half-time became… a rodeo, as the Mexicans managed to re-enter the fight in the 42nd minute with Julian Quinones reducing the deficit to 1-2. Aguirre’s team could have even equalized, but Pickford said “no” twice to Jimenez in the first-half stoppage time.

The match caught fire at the start of the second half, initially with the English goal hitting the post on a shot by O’Reilly in the 49th minute and then with the sending off of Kwanza in the 54th minute for the harsh foul that the “Three Lions” central defender committed on Alvarez two minutes earlier.

And while things seemed to be… going wrong for Tuchel’s team, Gordon won a penalty in the 58th minute from a header by Kane. The Barcelona striker was clearly knocked down by Rangel, with Kane beating the Mexican goalkeeper in the 60th minute and “writing” the 3-1 with his sixth goal in the competition.

The home team’s “response” was immediate and, in fact, with the same…coin. Harry Kane in the 67th minute, in his attempt to clear the ball from inside his team’s area, found Gallardo’s foot and was awarded a penalty, which Fagani indicated after the VAR intervention. Raul Jimenez in the 69th minute beat Pickford, reducing the score to 2-3.

Despite the pressure exerted afterwards, Javier Aguirre’s team was unable to send the game into extra time, with the English celebrating with complete justification.

Referee: A. Fagani (Iran)

Yellow cards: Sanchez – Rice, O’Reilly, Gay

Reds: 54′ Kwanza

The compositions of the two teams:

MEXICO (Javier Aguirre): Rangel, Sanchez (79′ Fidalgo), Montes (46′ Alvares), Vasquez, Gallardo, Lira, Romo (61′ Gutierrez), Mora (61′ S. Jimenez), Alvarado, R. Jimenez, Quinones (81′ Martinez)

ENGLAND (Thomas Tuchel): Pickford, Kwanza, Konsa, Gay, O’Reilly (75′ Byrne), Anderson (75′ Spence), Rice, Saka (57′ Stones), Bellingham, Gordon, Kane (90′ Rodgers)