Jordan Pickford took a million corner kicks, Jarrell Quansah was sent off, and Jordan Henderson was sent off after advertising hoardings came down. A penalty was waved off for Harry Kane. And somehow, in the cauldron of the Azteca Stadium, England held on.
3-2 victors, 10 men to 11, in a more hostile atmosphere at this time World Cup. England in the quarter-finals.
Jude Bellingham’s quick brace in the first half sent England into dreamland, before Julian Quiñones pulled one back for the hosts.
A 60th-minute penalty by Kane made it 3-1, but Quansah’s VAR red card and Raul Jimenez’s 69th-minute penalty brought a frenetic finish to the test of every nerve in every English team.
Tuchel could not contain himself after the final whistle, and said: “Very proud.” “We needed everything. It was very difficult. In the moments when we thought we were regaining momentum, we had setbacks. This is the right mentality.”
The England coach reserved the highest praise for the character of his players under pressure. “This team really means it. When the going gets tough, they never give up, they never lose faith. It was another step. We need to take that into account.”
“This is Azteca, this is Mexico, it’s a crazy match. We left everything there, every one of us. And now we’re going full steam ahead.”
Husky Kane is full of pride
Kane, who still had a hoarse voice from the songs being blasted in the dressing room, was equally emotional on the pitch. “It was a crazy game,” the captain said. “We had to fight and we had to find something. I was just singing, I couldn’t really talk. The occasion, the team, everything was against us – we found a way.”
The Bayern Munich striker had a penalty turned down during the second half on a contentious afternoon for the officials, but he refused to elaborate on the matter.
“I thought I got to the ball first – that was one of those days. The referee did too much against us. In the end it didn’t matter so I’m happy.”
The England fans, who filled every inch of the Azteca allotment and made their voice heard over one of the most intimidating home crowds in world football, earned special praise from their captain. “Unbelievable, unbelievable support,” Keane said. “Speechless.”
The sour note came late when Henderson, who had been booked earlier in the second half for arguing with the referee, collapsed on the advertising hoardings in stoppage time and required treatment before he could be helped. Kane quickly reassured fans that it was nothing serious. “Jordan fell down there. I think he’s fine, just something with his arm.”
England will face Norway in the quarter-finals in Miami next Saturday, the team that eliminated Brazil from the round of 32 with two late goals scored by Erling Haaland.
