England secured their ticket to the final four of the World Cup 2026 following a tense and physically demanding quarter-final clash against Norway at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Three Lions had to rely on the brilliance of their playmaker, Jude Bellingham, who delivered a spectacular brace to overcome a highly resilient Scandinavian side. With this victory, Thomas Tuchel's men are set to face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals in Atlanta.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The match initially struggled to find a rhythmic tempo due to the stifling heat wave sweeping through Florida, which prompted a first-half cooling break. The deadlock was broken in dramatic fashion when Norway's Andreas Schjelderup unleashed a monumental long-range strike into the top corner, leaving English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford completely helpless. According to match data, the spectacular goal electrified the stadium and forced the tournament favorites into an immediate tactical response.
England quickly found their footing before the halftime whistle, courtesy of a well-crafted equalizer. Anthony Gordon drove down the flank and delivered a precise cross into the box for Jude Bellingham, who skillfully bypassed defender Torbjorn Heggem to fire a composed strike past Orjan Nyland. Despite tactical changes in the second half, including the introduction of Bukayo Saka, neither side could find a winner in regular time, sending the intense European duel into extra time.
The defining moment arrived during the first period of extra time when Eberechi Eze played the ball out to Morgan Rogers, who launched a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Norwegian keeper Orjan Nyland failed to clean up the rebound, allowing the clinical Jude Bellingham to pounce on the loose ball and slide home his second goal of the evening. Based on editorial monitoring, Norway pushed forward late in the game but struggled to break down a heavily fortified English defense anchored by Marc Guehi and Dan Burn.
The defeat marks an honorable exit for Stale Solbakken's Norway team, who had previously created a massive upset by eliminating Brazil in the round of 16. Star striker Erling Haaland was kept remarkably quiet by the English defense throughout the night before being substituted by Jorgen Strand Larsen. From editorial observations, the defensive discipline established by Thomas Tuchel proved crucial in neutralising the physical threat of the Scandinavian frontline.
The encounter was seamlessly managed by French referee Clement Turpin, who notably went the opening 108 minutes of high-stakes football without issuing a single yellow card. Despite pre-match concerns regarding severe thunderstorms and potential scheduling delays, the fixture proceeded smoothly under the lights in Miami. England now stands just two victories away from replicating their historic 1966 triumph, with a wave of national unity propelling them forward.