Jude Bellingham struck deep into first-half stoppage time to rescue England and level the scores at 1-1 against Norway in their World Cup quarter-final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on 12 July, dragging his side level after a half in which they had been second best for long spells.
Norway had taken a surprise lead through Andreas Schjelderup in the 36th minute, the winger finding the far corner from a tight angle after Odegaard released him on the counter, with the ball clocked at 113kph on its way past Jordan Pickford. It capped a spell of pressure from the Norwegians, who had grown into the game after early England dominance and looked the more threatening side heading towards the break, with John Stones repeatedly required to snuff out danger around Erling Haaland.
England had enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges without carving out clear openings, with Harry Kane seeing one free kick sail over and a stoppage time header ruled out for offside. But it was Bellingham who dragged them level, latching onto Anthony Gordon’s pass, cutting inside past three defenders and drilling a low finish beyond Orjan Nyland, his fifth goal of the tournament.
The goal came against the run of play in the sense that Norway had begun to assert themselves, and pundits pointed to Alexander Sorloth’s failure to pick out a free Haaland on an earlier counter as a missed chance that could yet prove costly. Norway’s back three of Ajer, and their compact shape, had otherwise kept England subdued for the closing stages of the half.
Both sides made cautious starts given the Miami humidity, with neither pressing aggressively before the first hydration break, and it took until the closing minutes for the game to properly ignite. The winners will face either Switzerland or holders Argentina in the last four.
A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off in memory of South Africa international Jayden Adams, who died recently aged 25, weeks after playing at the tournament.
