Jude Bellingham scores England double to stun Mexico after ‘Gordon Banks’ save
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham linked up for two goals in two minutes as England caught Mexico with a quick fire double in the first-half
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham linked up in style
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham hit Mexico with a quickfire double as England scored twice in two minutes late in the first-half.
The last 16 clash at the Estadio Azteca caught alight as a Bellingham double in as many minutes put England 2-0 up in the 38th minute. But the lid had blown off the game and Mexico pulled a goal back through Julian Quinones.
In what had been a tense opening half hour, where England sat largely behind the ball, Thomas Tuchel’s tactics to soak up pressure and hit their opponents on the break worked when Declan Rice broke away.
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Jordan Pickford pulled off a remarkable save, akin to Gordon Banks’ iconic World Cup save, to deny Raul Jimenez early on as the Mexicans built up their control.
But a counter attack, led by Rice, saw him roll through his Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka down the right. Back in the starting line-up as he continues to return to fitness, Saka took on his man and hung a delivery into the back post where Bellingham arrived unmarked to bravely head home from six yards.
Just two minutes later, Bellingham was holding his arms above his head again with his trademark celebration after brilliant tenacious work from Anthony Gordon won the ball back high up the pitch.
The new Barcelona £70million man rolled through Kane, who picked out a pass only he could to square to Bellingham to tap in and deliver what looked a devastating blow.
But the goal sparked Mexico to hit back and a brilliant strike from Quinones just four minutes later halved the deficit.
After Mexico clawed one back, they nearly netted another as Jimenez soared high and directed a header towards goal, but Pickford leapt and swiped away what would have been an equaliser.
Mexico then seemed certain to find the back of the net, but Bellingham, the hero of the hour, intervened once more, making a remarkable last-minute clearance to stop Cesar Montes from scoring at close range following a corner.
England had to ride the wave until half-time, and got into the break 2-1 up. Something that looked impossible shortly after the half hour mark the way the game was going.
The victors in Mexico City will go head-to-head with Norway in the quarter-finals, after the exceptional and relentless Erling Haaland bagged a brace to shatter Carlo Ancelotti’s dreams of guiding Brazil to triumph this summer.
