England booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals in the early hours of this morning on an unforgettable and raucous evening at the Azteca Stadium.
It was a knockout tie that had it all: goals, saves, penalties, VAR checks and a red card for England’s Jarell Quansah. But, after all of the drama, Thomas Tuchel’s men prevailed against Mexico.
Here Daily Mail Sport unpacks a World Cup clash for the ages where England delivered one of their finest performances since 1966…
15mins – Pickford’s wonder save
England do a top job of calming the game down early, having known the opening quarter would be the toughest to get through from an altitude perspective.
Mexico look limp until Raul Jimenez’s flying header forces Jordan Pickford into the sort of save that felt reminiscent of Gordon Banks in this very country 56 years ago.
Jordan Pickford is at full stretch to deny striker Raul Jimenez an opening goal
36mins – Bellingham puts England ahead
England have lift off – and it comes after a five-minute spell where they drop deep and appear fallible. Declan Rice’s driving run makes the goal, Bukayo Saka standing a cross up for the ghosting Jude Bellingham.
Bukayo Saka floats in a perfect cross for an unmarked Jude Bellingham and the midfielder heads in for 1-0
Bellingham celebrates his first goal with England captain Harry Kane
38mins – Bellingham doubles the lead
And another. It’s Anthony Gordon pressurising the ball high up the pitch that unnerves Mexico and they are all at sea – even though that is more than 7,000ft, as we know only too well.
One of only seven first-half Harry Kane touches locates the box-crashing Bellingham. It’s dreamland.
England are in dreamland when Bellingham slots home their second goal within 100 seconds of their first
42mins – Mexico hit back
Far from shellshocked, Mexico come roaring back. There is more zip to their play and a cheap free kick conceded by Saka is only half-cleared by Ezri Konsa.
Julian Quinones loses Bellingham and gleefully accepts the bouncing ball, rocketing past Pickford. Beer rains down on the press box.
Thomas Tuchel’s men can’t go into the break with a two-goal cushion, Mexico star man Julian Quinones firing in for 2-1
45mins – Pickford denies Jimenez (again)
The England back line is swaying by this point, the Azteca baying. Jimenez has snatched at a half volley before getting the jump on Konsa. The header is towering into the top corner, only for Pickford to fly through the air in trademark fashion.
It’s still not over, Bellingham’s last-ditch tackle preventing a certain equaliser with Cesar Montes bearing down on goal.
Half-time: and breathe.
Pickford saves brilliantly from Jimenez for the second time in the match
54mins – Quansah sees red
It’s a horror moment for Jarell Quansah. He’s unfortunate but it is a straight red card for a high foot. The challenge looks ugly in real time, only for the referee to miss it entirely and require VAR’s intervention.
Before that, the Mexico bench scream at the fourth official, running down the touchline, and appear to be met by an angry Anthony Barry, who comes to blows with the backroom staff as play continues.
Eventually it’s brought back and Quansah’s off.
Jarell Quansah slides in hard on Mexico defender Jesus Gallardo, catching him above the ankle
Referee Alireza Faghani brandishes a red card after consulting the pitchside monitor
A disconsolate Quansah trudges off the pitch – leaving England to play over 40 minutes with 10 men
60mins – Kane is spot on
Penalty, England. Gordon’s industry pays dividends. Kane actually buys a free-kick inside his own six-yard box from a dangerous attack and it is from there he flicks on Pickford’s long ball and Gordon scampers clear to win the penalty.
Kane’s spot-kick is emphatic, right into the corner, and he takes great delight in celebrating in front of the home fans.
Anthony Gordon races clear after Kane flicks on a long ball and is brought down by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel
Kane leads the celebrations after making it 3-1 from the penalty spot
64mins – Stones saves England’s skin
John Stones has entered the fray, Thomas Tuchel nudging Konsa to right back. Stones makes a vital block as the hosts engineer a threatening position. The Azteca is still up, roaring, when Elliot Anderson’s intervention to boot out for a throw-in halts Mexico’s momentum.
John Stones was brought on in the 57th minute and made several key clearances
68mins – Jimenez brings Mexico back into it
Pressure tells. And it is such a soft penalty that Kane gives away, kicking the boot of substitute Brian Gutierrez. Some theatrics do the trick and Jimenez plays chicken with Pickford to make it 3-2 from 12 yards.
Pickford attempts to keep hold of the ball, claiming an opponent has kicked his arm in trying to retrieve it to speed the game along.
Kane misjudges a clearance, catching the boot of Brian Gutierrez
Faghani points to the penalty spot after a VAR review – the pressure’s back on England after Jimenez converts his spot-kick
75mins – Tuchel makes changes
Tuchel has seen enough. He goes to a 5-3-1 formation, bringing on big Dan Burn and sacrificing Anderson. This is a decision that could define his reign as England boss. All this time to keep Mexico out. Burn immediately suffers miscommunication with Pickford as they go for the same ball but they escape without punishment.
This stadium remains feverish. Barry says at half time that every minute is like the last and that is so true in these final moments.
Tuchel shuffles his pack to deal with England’s man deficit and the waves of Mexico attacks, switching to a 5-3-1 formation
90mins – Players put everything on the line
Kane departs for Morgan Rogers. England just retreat as far as possible at any given opportunity. Marc Guehi’s heading everything, Stones colossal off the bench.
Eleven minutes go up on the board. It feels like the middle of the night, even though it’s not even 9pm. Pickford keeps punching crosses. A shattered Bellingham shoots from the halfway line. Mexico keep coming. England’s starters are out on their feet, Burn takes a bicycle kick to the face.
Rice urges England up the pitch but nobody listens. Probably owing to the deafening whistles. Jimenez seems to have taken off his headgear. Substitute Jordan Henderson is booked.
Again it goes out wide, again England shuffle across. The ball drops inside the six-yard box and as Tuchel waves his arms to signal time is up, Stones just puts it behind. Deflections, corners.
England’s players put everything on the line in the dying minutes of the game, centre back Marc Guehi heading away any cross that entered his orbit
Bellingham was quite literally flat out after chasing every single loose ball
A jubilant Bellingham, Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice lead the travelling England fans in song at full-time
101mins – Somehow, England get over the line
Pickford manages one last punch and the whistle goes; England’s bench floods the pitch. Trevor Brooking is heard over the Tannoy system and we all know what that means. The Lightning Seeds boom out.
A rearguard to eclipse all rearguards. One of the maddest nights in World Cup history – made slightly madder as Jordan Henderson injures his arm in the celebrations – and England now face Norway in Miami.
