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England qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup by defeating Mexico 3-2 this Sunday at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, in a round of sixteen match that was decided with the English team playing with ten men for over half an hour.
The reflect a duel in which the English efficiency prevailed over the territorial dominance of the Tri.
Jude Bellingham was the standout performer in the first half. The midfielder scored in the 36th minute and added another just two minutes later to make it 0-2 before halftime. Mexico pulled one back in the 42nd minute thanks to Julián Quiñones, but the score at the break favored England.
The second half changed completely with the expulsion of Jarell Quansah in the 54th minute, leaving England with ten players. Instead of retreating, the English team extended their lead in the 60th minute with a penalty converted by Harry Kane to make it 1-3. Mexico responded with another penalty, this time taken by Raúl Jiménez in the 69th minute, which set the final score at 2-3.
The statistics show Mexico's dominance without adequate reward: El Tri had 66% possession, took 18 shots compared to just six from England, and earned 10 corners to two. However, both teams matched in shots on goal, with five each, highlighting the difference in effectiveness.
Regarding the cards, England accumulated four yellow cards—Rice in the first minute, Guehi in the 68th, O'Reilly in the 72nd, and Henderson in the 90th—along with a red card for Quansah. Mexico received two yellow cards.
The result marks the end of a historic participation for the Tri, which reached this Round of 16 as the only team in the tournament that had not conceded a goal in its previous five matches, including the group stage and the victory over Ecuador in the Round of 32. Mexico had eliminated Ecuador 2-0 on July 1, with goals from Quiñones and Jiménez.
England, which defeated the DR Congo in the round of 16 with a brace from Kane, will now face Norway in the quarter-finals on July 9 at the Miami Stadium, in what promises to be one of the most exciting matchups of the round.
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