Bellingham brace sends England to World Cup semis after extra-time win over Norway

Jude Bellingham once again proved decisive for England, scoring a brace to secure a 2-1 extra-time win against Norway and advance the Three Lions to the 2026 World Cup semifinals. The victory came after a hard-fought match that saw Norway take the lead before England equalized just before halftime.

Norway had taken a surprise lead through Andreas Schjelderup's strike, which deflected in off the post. Despite a strong start from England, the team struggled to create clear chances until Bellingham's intervention. He equalized after a skillful run and shot, and later provided an assist for Harry Kane, which was disallowed for offside.

England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, attempted to inject more energy into the team by bringing on Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at halftime. However, the defense, which had been a strong point for England, showed signs of vulnerability against Norway's attacks. A Norwegian goal from a corner was disallowed after a VAR review for a push by Erling Haaland, but the pressure from the Scandinavian side remained.

Bellingham's performance drew parallels to his role in the previous round against Mexico, where he also scored twice. His brace in this match also saw him equal James Rodríguez and Helmut Haller for the most goals scored by a midfielder in a single World Cup tournament with six. England now awaits the winner of the Argentina-Switzerland match in the semifinals.

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