England survive Azteca thriller to set up Norway quarterfinal

Thomas Tuchel’s England side delivered a performance for the ages at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Tuesday, grinding out a pulsating 3-2 victory over Mexico to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals. The Three Lions will now face Norway on Saturday after a night that had everything – early dominance, a spirited Mexican comeback, and a late winner that sent the traveling fans into delirium. England started brightly and took a two-goal lead inside the first half-hour. A swift counterattack caught Mexico off guard, and a clinical finish from the edge of the box gave Jordan Pickford no chance at the other end. The second came from a set piece, with Harry Maguire rising highest to power a header past Guillermo Ochoa. But Mexico refused to fold. Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, El Tri pulled one back just before the break through a deflected strike, then equalized early in the second half when a cross from the right was turned in at the near post. The stadium erupted, and suddenly England were hanging on. Tuchel made a decisive change, injecting fresh legs in midfield, and it paid off. With 15 minutes remaining, a slick passing move sliced open the Mexican defense, and Marcus Rashford applied the finishing touch to restore England’s lead. Mexico pushed for a third equalizer, but England’s backline held firm. “We knew it would be a war,” Tuchel said afterward. “The Azteca is a fortress, but my boys showed incredible character. Now we focus on Norway – they are a dangerous side, but we have belief.” England will need to recover quickly for the quarterfinal clash against Erling Haaland’s Norway, who advanced after a comfortable win earlier in the day.