England beats Norway

England beats Norway

England has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating Norway 2-1 in a thrilling quarter-final match at Miami Stadium. The victory marks England's fourth World Cup semi-final appearance and sets them up for a potential showdown with either Argentina or Switzerland.

Norway, led by superstar striker Erling Haaland, had made it to the quarter-finals for the first time in 28 years, but ultimately fell short against a resilient English team. Haaland, who had been in impressive form throughout the tournament, was held scoreless for the first time in the World Cup, thanks in large part to England's defensive efforts.

The match was a closely contested affair, with Norway striking first in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup's brilliant strike. However, England responded just before halftime, with Jude Bellingham driving forward and slotting home a crucial equalizer.

The second half saw both teams trade blows, with Norway having a goal ruled out by VAR due to a foul by Haaland. The match ultimately went to extra time, where Bellingham emerged as the hero once again, pouncing on a spilled save from Ørjan Nyland to score the decisive goal in the 93rd minute.

According to England captain Harry Kane, the conditions were even more challenging than their previous match against Mexico at altitude. "It's another story, a tough game," Kane said. "It was hot, really brutal, almost more difficult than Mexico, to be honest, with the heat and the humidity, but again we found a way."

Bellingham's performance was widely praised, with the young midfielder showing remarkable decisiveness and skill on the pitch. His goals brought his total to six for the tournament, matching teammate Harry Kane and putting them two behind Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.

Norway coach Ståle Solbakken was gracious in defeat, praising Haaland's efforts despite his team's loss. "He was finished, maybe I should have taken him out 10 minutes before," Solbakken said. "He also got a dead leg in the second half, so that combined with the fatigue. He did everything he could."

England will now face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals, with the match set to take place at Atlanta Stadium.