File it as England’s finest World Cup knockout phase victory since 1966. There have not been a huge number of them; only nine previously, each a gripping drama in its own right. Yet it was the context of this one that set it apart.
England stepped into the mayhem of the Estadio Azteca, a venue that contains a very particular ghost for them, to face the full force of the country. Plus a team that almost never lose here. Mexico brought flawless form to the showpiece; four wins out of four at the tournament. It was the co-hosts’ grand sendoff from their own turf, arguably the biggest game in their history. An unofficial final for them.
It was a thriller; a game that had pretty much everything, starting with another powerhouse performance from Jude Bellingham, who scored twice to give England a 2-0 lead. The midfielder thrived in the frenzy.
There was Mexican defiance – a key theme – and a goal for Julián Quiñones before the interval.
England just had to make it as hard as possible for themselves and they did so when Jarell Quansah was sent off for an ugly challenge in the 54th minute. The stand-in right-back returned after injury, but not for long enough. The position continues to be a headache for Thomas Tuchel.
There was another goal for Harry Kane from the penalty spot for 3-1, his sixth of the tournament and his 73rd of the season for club and country. There was room for even more, including a second Mexico goal, from Raúl Jiménez, also a penalty, and a closing scene that featured England defending with their lives.
It was Mexico’s attack versus England in a deep-set 5-3-1. England saw it through and when it was finally over, there was unbridled joy for them together with Mexican devastation, players in green slumped all over the turf. The World Cup will remember El Tri.
England advance to a quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday. Tuchel had wanted a spark, the moment of ignition as he targets glory. This may have been it.
It was an occasion when every conceivable plotline felt as though it had been fine-tuned and crammed into the mix. The history was unavoidable from an England point of view. It was the team’s first return to the Azteca since El Diego and the Hand of God in 1986. There was also the ferocity of the elements: the thunderstorms and driving rain that forced the kick-off back by one hour.
The delay only heightened the anticipation and it was the first test of the occasion for the players. When the stadium DJ played Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis, the partisan crowd bayed. The words could barely be heard. That was 90 minutes before the new kick-off time.
There was also the high altitude. The slightly spaced-out feeling that affected the travelling England fans was not the tequila. The players were the ones who had to cope with it, especially at the outset when Mexico were always going to come on strong, harnessing the tidal wave of emotion in the stands.
There was only one way for England to start: cool heads; the correct spacing between positions. They could not overcommit.
The crowd hated it when England played slowly in possession. But if it was fanciful to suggest England might draw the sting from the Mexico support, they needed to dig out a foothold. More than anything, they needed to get to the first hydration break having not been breached. They did so.
It was the point Tuchel had identified when England might begin to feel more OK with the thinner air and they were able to breathe a little more easily after Jordan Pickford produced a smart low save to keep out Jiménez’s diving header on 16 minutes.
Mexico were slick with their passing combinations; their movement was good. Tuchel knew his team had to keep an eye on the midfield wonderkid, Gilberto Mora, and he assigned the task to Elliot Anderson. The tension was extraordinary. “Y si sí,” bellowed the Mexico fans; their new rallying cry. What if we can?
England stirred. There were encouraging signs from Anthony Gordon on the left wing; he had the pace to trouble Jorge Sánchez. But the breakthrough goal came up the other side. It was Pickford with the quick throw to Declan Rice, who ate up the ground before passing to Bukayo Saka. The winger got his move to work, buying a yard of space on the outside, and the cross was perfect. Bellingham arrived like a train to crash the header home.
Bellingham was in the mood. The atmosphere was fuel to him. He thrust out his chest and played. He also brought the intensity out of possession. His second goal added up to a stunning one-two punch and it was reward for Anderson winning the ball high up. Bellingham went wide to Kane and continued his run. Kane crossed low and Bellingham just wanted it more than Érik Lira.
England were comfortable. Then they were not. What was most galling for Tuchel was that his team allowed Mexico a route back into the tie on a set piece. There was no conviction about the defending. Ezri Konsa half-cleared a free-kick from the left and Quiñones put his laces through the loose ball.
Mexico might have equalised on the stroke of half-time when Jiménez headed on a corner and César Montes was unmarked at the far post. Bellingham got back to make the saving challenge. Before that Jiménez had dragged a good chance past the far post while he also extended Pickford with a looping header.
England needed the next goal and they began the second half on the front foot. Nico O’Reilly pushed up and inside from left-back and his deflected shot came back off the post.
England’s momentum, though, was checked by the Quansah red card. The Mexico bench were incensed with his challenge and although play went on, Bellingham producing a stunning piece of skill and surge upfield, it soon became apparent that Quansah was in trouble with the video assistant referee. It was an ill-advised lunge and when he clattered high into Jesús Gallardo, the Australian referee, Alireza Faghani, had no choice. Tuchel put John Stones on for Saka.
Gordon helped to get England back two goals in front. He sprinted on to a loose ball after Kane had challenged with the Mexico substitute Edson Álvarez and he got there before Raúl Rangel. The goalkeeper cleaned him out. Kane did the rest from the spot.
Back came Mexico. It was another set piece and an aberration from Kane, who did not feel another substitute, Brian Gutiérrez, close to him when he went to clear. Kane kicked through Gutiérrez and when Faghani was called to the pitchside monitor by the VAR, England had that sinking feeling. Jiménez produced the ice-in-veins conversion .
Tuchel’s move was to send on Dan Burn and Djed Spence and switch to the back five. Could England hold out? The answer was yes, and with a measure of comfort – apart from the bit at the end of the 11 additional minutes when Stones scrambled a clearance just wide of his own goal.
Mexico kept on crossing and England kept on heading clear. Pickford was assured, Burn was immense. For England, it was simply a stunning high.
