By Tomiwa Jagunna
England booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Norwegians struck first through Andreas Schjelderup in the 26th minute, silencing the English supporters following a postulating opening spell from the Scandinavian side. However, Jude Bellingham once again rose to the occasion, drawing England level in the 43rd minute to ensure the teams went into the break all square.
With both sides unable to find a breakthrough during a tense and tactical second half, the contest moved into extra time where England’s star midfielder delivered the decisive moment. Just three minutes into the additional period, Bellingham struck his second goal of the night in the 93rd minute, completing the turnaround and sending the
Three Lions into the final four of the tournament. England controlled much of the possession, but Norway’s disciplined defending and dangerous counterattacks ensured the match remained in the balance until the final whistle.
The result ends a remarkable World Cup journey for Norway, who emerged as one of the surprise packages of the tournament, Led by Erling Haaland and a talented generation of players. For England, another outstanding Man of the Match display from Jude Bellingham keeps their World Cup dream alive as they move one step closer to the World Cup trophy.
