​Jude Bellingham struck twice as England endured a dramatic extra-time escape to defeat Norway 2-1 on Saturday, sealing their place in the World Cup semi-finals. His 93rd-minute winner settled a tense quarter-final played in blistering heat at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, leaving England to prepare for a potential clash with either Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday.
Afterwards, England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted they had faced a difficult afternoon. “We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but I’m not happy with the performance… we were very lucky today,” he said. Bellingham’s equaliser came in first-half stoppage time after a goal kick from Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland inadvertently struck an overhead camera cable, a mishap that should have prompted a re-take of the set piece.
England also benefited from a significant moment when Torbjorn Heggem’s 55th-minute header for Norway was chalked off after a VAR review determined a shove by Erling Haaland on Elliot Anderson had occurred. In the sweltering heat that reached 108 Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) on the heat index, England began to look increasingly fatigued, yet they found a late lifeline in the 93rd minute when Nyland spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ long-range effort, allowing Bellingham to fire home the rebound and crown a hard-fought comeback.
The tie had been anticipated as a duel between England’s Harry Kane and Norway’s Haaland, but the expected head-to-head clash never materialised. Haaland, who had been involved as a substitute, exited the field during extra-time as Norway pushed for an equaliser that ultimately never came. Norway had taken the lead on 36 minutes through Andreas Schjelderup’s venomous strike, but their senses of urgency faded as the match wore on.
England’s defence nearly conceded a goal in the 44th minute when Norway broke quickly, with Alexander Sorloth and Haaland bearing down on a solitary John Stones. Sorloth chose to attack on his own rather than pass to Haaland in acres of space, a decision that squandered the chance. It was soon after, in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, that Bellingham burst into the area and struck a precise low shot after Nyland’s goal-kick struck the camera cable, capping a sequence that brought the game to parity.
FIFA later issued a statement saying there was no evidence that the ball had hit the camera cable, yet Norway coach Stale Solbakken maintained his view. “That was unlucky for us,” Solbakken said. “The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction. But we can’t do anything about that. I don’t think we will replay the game. That’s how it is.”
The win keeps alive England’s hopes of capturing a World Cup title and potentially setting up a historic clash with Argentina, the defending champions who are chasing back-to-back World Cup triumphs. Argentina faced Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday as they pressed their own bid to advance, moving one step closer to realising their dream of successive World Cup wins.
As for England, the victory extends their campaign and reinforces the narrative of a team capable of grinding out results under intense pressure. Bellingham’s late winner was celebrated as a symbol of resilience, a reminder that even when performances aren’t at their peak, decisive moments can change the trajectory of a tournament.
Looking ahead, England will need to refine an approach that can maintain composure in the heat and pressure of a knockout stage, while still leveraging moments of individual brilliance to secure crucial victories. The semi-finals offer a chance to demonstrate that this England side can maintain focus and execution when it matters most.