England reach World Cup semi-finals as Jude Bellingham double ends Norway’s run
Jude Bellingham kept his cool in the Miami heat and humidity to send England to a fourth-ever World Cup semi-final as Thomas Tuchel’s men edged past Norway 2-1 in extra time.
Having been given a scare by the Democratic Republic of Congo and overcome adversity to knock out co-hosts Mexico, the back-to-back European Championship finalists were made to sweat in Florida.
England have not done things the easy way this summer and had to dig deep once again after Jordan Pickford misjudged Andreas Schjelderup’s cross-shot to give Norway hope of a historic semi-final spot.
But Bellingham, like so often this summer, sparkled for his country and slammed home a leveller just before the break.
Tuchel’s stuttering side survived a poor second half, with Torbjorn Heggem seeing a goal ruled out and Kristoffer Ajer hitting the crossbar, before the Real Madrid star capitalised on Orjan Nyland’s error.
Bellingham’s sixth of the tournament was his most important to date, sealing a place in Wednesday’s Atlanta semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland as England kept their quest to add a second star alive.
The temperature was 33 degrees Celsius at kick-off but felt like nearly 40 with humidity, making for a slow start to a game that Norway began passively.
England dominated possession but failed to create a clear-cut chance before the first hydration break, which Tuchel spent delivering an animated talk that failed to have the desired effect.
Norway took control after Harry Kane wasted a well-positioned free-kick, with Pickford preventing Erling Haaland from reaching a loose ball and then stopping a header from him.
But England’s number one will be disappointed by the 36th-minute opener, having misjudged Schjelderup’s left-footed cross-shot and watched helplessly as the ball went in off the far post.
Kane’s claim for a foul against Patrick Berg in the build-up fell on deaf ears and the goal only strengthened the Scandinavians.
Alexander Sorloth slammed over and Pickford denied Martin Odegaard as Norway fans chanted ‘England’s going home’, with Sorloth wasting a great chance when going for a shot when two-on-one, with Haaland alongside him.
England capitalised on that let-off in stoppage time.
Anthony Gordon attacked down the left and played across to Bellingham, whose first touch took him into the box as he arced away from Norwegian attention and fired past Nyland.
FIFA dismissed suggestions the ball had touched an overhead wire in the build-up to the goal, saying on X that the sensor in the ball showed “no peak in the heartbeat of the ball when in the air”.
Boss Stale Solbakken threw a bottle in frustration that Kane attempted to exacerbate.
The skipper saw an effort denied from distance and a chipped goal ruled out for offside, but England lost their momentum as they made a shaky return from the break.
Pickford pawed away a Sorloth cross and unconvincingly denied Haaland, with Tuchel’s men found wanting from a 55th-minute corner.
Heggem turned home after Berg’s deflected reaction shot was brilliantly saved by Pickford, but the red wall’s elation soon turned to disappointment.
VAR Jerome Brisard advised referee Clement Turpin to review a Haaland push on Elliot Anderson before the corner and the goal was ruled out.
Norway continued undeterred and another hydration break failed to reset stuttering England, with Ajer seeing a header hit the bar from another corner as Haaland and Antonio Nusa proved a nuisance.
Bukayo Saka looked most likely to open things up for England and saw a low ball taken off Eberechi Eze’s toe, with speedy sub Djed Spence charging down a Nyland clearance before the match entered extra time.
England posed new questions when played resumed, requiring just three minutes to go ahead.
Nyland brilliantly denied a Kane header and Tuchel’s side kept the move alive, with Bellingham reacting quickest to turn home after Nyland spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ fizzing strike from distance.
The relief at his second goal was palpable and only grew when Turpin pointed to spot after Spence drew a foul from Oscar Bobb. Kane was ready settle nerves, only for the decision to be overturned upon VAR review.
Marc Guehi charged down a Nusa shot and, after Haaland was surprisingly withdrawn, Berg lasered over.
Spence and Saka were denied in quick succession at the other end, with England battening down the hatches to see through a famous win.
Published: by Radio NewsHub
