Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – England battled past Mexico into the World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday and Norway stunned Brazil as a FIFA decision to reprieve United States star Folarin Balogun after an intervention from Donald Trump triggered uproar. A day of gripping drama on and off the field was crowned by an epic contest at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca as 10-man England dug deep to defeat Mexico 3-2 in a match that more than lived up to the hype.
Jude Bellingham looked to have put England firmly on the road to the quarter-finals after scoring twice in 98 seconds to give the Three Lions a 2-0 lead after 38 minutes. Mexico hit back through Julian Quinones to make it 2-1 at half-time and were given a huge boost on 54 minutes when England defender Jarell Quansah was given a straight red card after a VAR review. England though shrugged off that setback to make it 3-1 with a Harry Kane penalty. Mexico refused to roll over and another controversial VAR review saw them awarded a penalty by Australian referee Alireza Faghani, Raul Jimenez slotting in to make it 3-2. England’s increasingly weary line-up resisted wave after wave of Mexican pressure to hold on for a famous victory.
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“It was a crazy game. We had the occasion, everything against us, but we found a way,” captain Kane said. Man-of-the-match Bellingham described it as the “best night of my England career.” “In big pressure moments in years gone by watching as a fan, as a kid, England probably would have crumbled but we stuck together until the last second,” Bellingham added.
The win sends England into a quarter-final in Miami next Saturday where they will face Norway, who defeated Brazil 2-1 in another gripping knockout battle earlier Sunday. Two late goals from star striker Erling Haaland set up the win for the Norwegians to shatter Brazil’s hopes of a sixth world title. Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland produced a sensational display and saved a first-half penalty from Bruno Guimaraes before Haaland struck twice in the last 11 minutes to stun Brazil at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“I dreamed of playing in the World Cup with Norway and taking them to the World Cup, but I never expected to win against Brazil, let’s be honest,” Haaland said. “I thought it was not possible to do some things, but I guess I’m wrong.” Haaland’s brace took him level with Lionel Messi on seven goals for the tournament. For Brazil, who hired Carlo Ancelotti in a bid to end a 24-year World Cup drought, it is the sixth straight tournament where they have been knocked out by European opposition. Sunday’s loss marked Brazil’s earliest exit at a World Cup since they were eliminated in the last 16 by Argentina in 1990.
Sunday’s enthralling action was matched by off-field intrigue after the revelation that United States striker Balogun had been cleared to play against Belgium in Monday’s last 16 despite receiving a one-match ban last week for a red card. It subsequently emerged that the bombshell ruling followed a personal call by President Trump to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino urging him to review Balogun’s punishment, two sources confirmed to AFP. Trump greeted news of the decision with jubilation. “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
But the Royal Belgian Football Association reacted furiously, adding that it was “astonished” by the decision and “investigating all potential options”. Balogun, who has scored three goals at this World Cup, had been set to miss Monday’s match after being sent off for inadvertently treading on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic in the USA’s 2-0 victory in the last 32 on Wednesday. Under the world football governing body’s rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team. United States Soccer Federation officials had not attempted to challenge the sanction, and Balogun himself had accepted the punishment. But FIFA said Sunday Balogun’s ban will now be suspended for a year, without offering any specific explanation.
© 2024 AFP
