FOOTBALLFIFA World Cup 2026, Round of 16
Mexico 2-3 England: Bellingham's 90-Second Brace Sends 10-Man Three Lions into Quarter-Finals
Jude Bellingham struck twice in the space of 90 seconds and Harry Kane added a penalty as England survived a Jarell Quansah red card and a ferocious Mexico response at the Azteca to win 3-2 and reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
In this report
ENGLAND survived a red card and a ferocious fightback from co-hosts Mexico to win 3-2 at a deafening Azteca Stadium and reach the World Cup quarter-finals, Jude Bellingham scoring twice in the space of 90 seconds either side of the half hour to lay the foundation for one of the great away performances of the tournament.
Mexico started the stronger of the two sides in front of their own fans, but England struck twice in a devastating spell either side of the 36th minute. Bellingham headed in Bukayo Saka's cross to break the deadlock, and moments later doubled the lead with a close-range finish after being played through by Harry Kane. Mexico responded almost immediately, Julian Quinones firing home from a free kick on 39 minutes to send the sides in at 2-1 to England at the break.
The tie turned midway through the second half when Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo, leaving England to see out more than half an hour with ten men in front of a stadium desperate for a way back into the game. Kane restored England's two-goal cushion from the penalty spot on 67 minutes after Anthony Gordon was brought down, only for Raul Jimenez to reduce the arrears from the spot three minutes later after Kane himself was penalised for a foul on Brian Gutierrez following a VAR review.
Mexico threw everything at England in the closing stages, but Jordan Pickford was immense between the posts and the ten men of England held their nerve through a grandstand finish to close out victory. It condemned the co-hosts to a first defeat of the tournament and sent England through to face Norway in the last eight.
Match statistics
| Metric | Mexico | England |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 2 | 3 |
| Half Time | 1 | 2 |
| Goalscorers | Quinones (39), Jimenez (70 pen) | Bellingham (36, 37), Kane (67 pen) |
Possession, shots, passing and fouls: official match data issued in the press box. Expected goals: third party provider, as published. Saves counted at the ground and verified against the team sheet.
Match details
- Competition
- FIFA World Cup 2026, Round of 16
- Date
- 5th July 2026 (reported 6th July UK time)
- Venue
- Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
- Final Score
- Mexico 2 - 3 England
- Half Time
- Mexico 1 - 2 England
- Goalscorers
- Bellingham 36', 37' (England); Quinones 39' (Mexico); Kane 67' pen (England); Jimenez 70' pen (Mexico)
- Sent Off
- Jarell Quansah (England, 2nd half, high challenge on Jesus Gallardo)
Editorial judgement, not a statistic
Darrion Watson's standout players
Jude Bellingham (England) Man of the match, scoring twice in 90 seconds to swing the tie England's way before playing his part in a heroic rearguard effort with ten men.
Jordan Pickford (England) Immense throughout, twice denying Raul Jimenez and marshalling a ten-man defence superbly after Quansah's dismissal.
Anthony Gordon (England) His pace won the penalty that restored England's two-goal cushion and he was a constant outlet on the counter.
Julian Quinones (Mexico) Gave the co-hosts hope with a well-taken free kick and remained a threat throughout.
Selected by Darrion Watson at the ground.
Player Ratings (Goal.com)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Jordan Pickford | 9 |
| Jarell Quansah (sent off) | 4 |
| Ezri Konsa | 6 |
| Marc Guehi | 8 |
| Nico O'Reilly | 6 |
| Elliot Anderson | 7 |
| Declan Rice | 8 |
| Bukayo Saka | 6 |
| Jude Bellingham | 9 |
| Harry Kane | 7 |
| Anthony Gordon | 9 |
Darrion Watson
Junior Football Reporter
Darrion Watson is a football reporter contributing match reports to CUVA Sports, working under William Powell's editorial guidance as he builds his experience covering the English game.