2026 World Cup: Brilliant Bellingham downs Norway to send England into last four
Two-goal Jude Bellingham struck an extra-time winner as England came from behind to beat Norway 2-1 and reach the semi-finals at the 2026 World Cup.
The Vikings opened the scoring on 36 minutes as Andreas Schjelderup collected Martin Odegaard’s pass and thundered a cross-shot from the left side of the area into the far corner.
England responded through the talismanic Bellingham, who drove on to Anthony Gordon’s pass and fired a low shot beyond Orjan Nyland in first-half stoppage time.
Thomas Tuchel and his men laboured after the interval and were breathing a huge sigh of relief just shy of the hour when Torbjorn Heggem’s far-post tap-in from a right-wing corner was ruled out following a VAR intervention for a shove by Erling Haaland.
Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer hit the crossbar as Norway almost won it in normal time, with The Three Lions perhaps fortunate to force extra time.
It proved hugely significant as Bellingham knocked in a rebound in the 93rd minute to net his sixth goal of the World Cup after substitute Morgan Rogers’ strike was spilt by Nyland.
England were left rueful when a penalty awarded for a trip on substitute Djed Spence was overturned following a VAR review, but Tuchel’s men held on and will now face Argentina or Switzerland in the last four at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 15 (20:00 BST KO).