Jude Bellingham put up a virtuoso performance for England, scoring with both legs to lift the Three Lions past Norway in a difficult quarter-final encounter in Miami.
In the first 23 minutes, Norway kept soaking up pressure upon pressure from England, until the first half hydration break. England continued their pressure after the timeout and Norway had to defend a free kick just outside their 18-yard box following a foul on Jude Bellingham.
But shortly after defending the free kick, Norway surprisingly took the lead after Patrick Berg had dispossessed Harry Kane in England’s own half of the field. Norwegian striker, Schjelderup, who was included in the starting eleven today, found his seeming cross hit the upright and into the England net as Jordan Pickford was left stranded at his near post. Norway kept terrorizing England through sporadic counter-attacks and almost doubled their lead if not because Alexandre Sorlot’s shot was smoldered into the path of Pickford. Sorloth would have done better if he had passed the ball to Erling Haaland who was free at the left right inside England’s 18-yard box.
England gathered their bearing and Bellingham equalized for the Three Lions right on the stroke of half time.
Norway was the better attacking side after the half time, and had the ball in England’s net which was ruled out after a VAR review adjudged that Haaland had pushed Anderson down shortly before the corner kick that led to the goal.
Alexander Sorloth was replaced by Antonio Nusa for Norway to rejig their attack on 68 minutes.
It remained 1 : 1 at full time as both teams could not find answers past each other’s defence.
The match came alive early in the first half of extra time as Bellingham found a brace after pouncing on a long range shot from Morgan Rogers which Nyland in goal for Norway, spilled.
Nusa’s point blank shot was blocked by Mark Guehi who practically threw himself on the way to maintain England’s slender lead.
Haaland was replaced at the beginning of second half of extra time by Larsen Strand, a change the Manchester City striker did not appear to cherish.
England defended the right of the period with grit to book their way into the semi-finals of the World Cup. They will face off against either Argentina or Switzerland.