Two goals from Jude Bellingham secured a 2-1 victory for England over Norway, sending Thomas Tuchel’s side into the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals.
Before the first cooling break, the Three Lions dominated possession, although Norway responded well during the second quarter of the match. Andreas Schjelderup received the ball on the left side of the penalty area after Harry Kane went down easily in midfield. The winger delivered a cross toward the far post, where the ball struck the crossbar before bouncing into the England goal, as reported by Sports Mole.
During first-half stoppage time, Alexander Sørloth wasted a promising two-on-one opportunity, failing to threaten the England goal or find Erling Haaland with a pass.
England immediately capitalized on the missed chance. Jude Bellingham surged into the penalty area to meet a cross from Anthony Gordon, calmly slotting a low finish into the right corner of the net to equalize just before halftime.
Norway began the second half aggressively, with Torbjørn Heggem finding the net from a corner kick. However, the goal was disallowed after the referee ruled that Erling Haaland had committed a foul during the build-up.
Norway continued to create pressure, but England held firm and forced the match into extra time. Just three minutes into the additional period, Bellingham scored his second goal after capitalizing on a costly mistake by the Norwegian goalkeeper.
Shortly before halftime in extra time, Djed Spence won what initially appeared to be a penalty for England. However, after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, the referee ruled that the England player had initiated the contact inside the penalty area, and the penalty decision was overturned.
Ultimately, the controversial call had little impact on the outcome, as England held on to claim a 2-1 victory and book its place in the semifinals.
Expectations Remain High
Expectations for England were high heading into the World Cup, despite the team having delivered performances that were not always convincing.
Before the tournament began, Thomas Tuchel faced criticism over his squad selection, with some observers arguing that it was too defensive. However, his decisions have so far been vindicated by England’s progress in the competition.
Looking ahead, it is difficult to imagine Argentina, England’s semifinal opponent, being as forgiving of the defensive mistakes England has made throughout the tournament. Nevertheless, with Jude Bellingham in the lineup, England always has a chance.
Norway looked the more threatening side for significant periods of the match. Alexander Sørloth should have squared the ball to Erling Haaland during the first half, and a combination of poor decision-making and controversial refereeing decisions ultimately denied Norway the opportunity to reach the World Cup semifinals.***
