​Marc Guéhi, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson and James Trafford have advanced to the World Cup semi-finals, while Erling Haaland’s Norway were eliminated after England triumphed 2-1 following extra time. The Three Lions overturned a one-goal deficit after Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring for Norway, with Jude Bellingham striking twice to secure progress for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Guéhi and Anderson played the full 120 minutes, O’Reilly contributed a solid shift before being brought off in the 86th minute, while Trafford remained an unused substitute. Haaland, meanwhile, was withdrawn by Ståle Solbakken during extra time. The match unfolded nervously, with Harry Kane appealing for a foul in the buildup to Norway’s opener, but the referee allowed play to continue as the ball found Schjelderup on the left and the Benfica forward drived it into the top corner, seemingly intended as a cross for Haaland in the box.
Late in the first half, Bellingham equalised for England after a slick move involving Anderson and Anthony Gordon, with the Real Madrid midfielder taking a touch and firing home with his left foot. Just before the whistle, Kane appeared to put England ahead with a neat dink after a superb pass from Bellingham, but the Bayern Munich striker was caught offside and the goal was ruled out.
After the restart, Norway thought they had regained the lead when Torbjørn Heggem headed in at the far post, but the goal was disallowed by referee Clement Turpin following a push by Haaland on Anderson in the buildup. Brentford’s Kristoffer Ajer struck the crossbar as England rode their luck, and Tuchel’s side nearly snatched victory late on when Bellingham’s header skimmed wide and substitute Djed Spence saw a shot saved by Ørjan Nyland before the ball rebounded out of play.
Extra time began with England in the ascendancy as Morgan Rogers’s shot squirted loose from Nyland, allowing Bellingham to poke home the rebound. England appeared poised to press further when Spence seemed to be fouled by Oscar Bobb, but Turpin overturned his decision after a VAR review. In the second period of extra time, Spence and Bukayo Saka had efforts saved by Nyland, while Bobb pounded a shot high and wide as England clung on to their lead and secured a spot in the last four.
Haaland’s run with Norway ends here, but the Norwegian side can take pride in their deepest World Cup journey to date. They have now reached four World Cup finals appearances—1938, 1994, 1998 and 2026—but were knocked out before the semi-finals last time the tournament was staged in the United States in 1994. England’s reward is a place in the semi-finals, with a match against either Argentina or Switzerland scheduled for Wednesday night at 8:00 PM UK time in Atlanta.
As the knockout rounds continue, England’s path to the final remains clear: secure victory in the semi-final, then face off against a formidable opponent in the final. The result will set up a blockbuster showdown in the final, with England seeking to add another illustrious chapter to their World Cup history. On the other side of the draw, the winner of Argentina versus Switzerland will challenge England for a place in the final, as the 2026 World Cup narrative continues to unfold.