- England win 3-2 at the Azteca to reach the quarter-finals
- Mexican media brand it the most painful Aztecazo yet
- Bellingham brace, Quansah red, Kane and Jimenez trade penalties
England’s 3-2 triumph in Mexico City wasn’t just a knockout win; it was a statement made in one of world football’s fiercest fortresses. Mexico have now lost only their third-ever competitive match at the Azteca since 1966, and the fallout south of the border has been as raw as it is revealing.
Local reaction spoke of a bruising national moment — the “most painful Aztecazo” — as England battled through altitude, pressure and a partisan wall of noise to punch their ticket to the last eight. With Mexico co-hosting this World Cup alongside the US and Canada, there will be no more matches on Mexican soil at this tournament. If you’re already eyeing the next step and the odds, our guide to the best football betting sites can help you size up what’s coming.
Bellingham Blazes, Then Chaos
Jude Bellingham lit the touchpaper with two goals in three minutes to put England 2-0 up, flipping the pre-match narrative about the altitude on its head. Mexico hit back through Julian Quinones, and the Azteca crackled.
After the break, a straight red for Jarell Quansah left England hanging on. Even so, Harry Kane buried a penalty to restore daylight before Raul Jimenez converted from the spot to set up a fraught finale. Hopes among the home crowd lingered deep into stoppage time — think the 101st minute — but England’s resolve held. Possession skewed Mexico’s way, yet the cold truth was England’s clinical edge.
Mexico’s Pride, England’s Purpose
Mexican outlets captured the mood. ESPN Deportes lamented a dream crushed at the death and called this setback the harshest Aztecazo to date. El Universal praised Mexico’s performance but underlined a key warning from Guillermo Ochoa: the elite are defined by ruthless finishing — a point Bellingham hammered home. AS Mexico framed it as a modern classic, with England pushed to their limits but ultimately exorcising old ghosts in a stadium that has long felt cursed to them.
For England, it’s Norway next after Erling Haaland’s brace dumped Brazil 2-1, with Neymar’s late penalty a mere consolation. Mexico, meanwhile, must wait again for a first World Cup quarter-final since 1986. Southgate’s men survived the storm; the performance wasn’t flawless, but in tournament football, purpose trumps pretty. The job’s half-done — and this was a massive, grown-up win.
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Football fanatic, you will often find me on the terraces at lower league matches on a Saturday afternoon. I leave the Premier League matches to the prawn sandwich brigade; grassroots football for me all the way.
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