Bellingham double as ‘lucky’ England beat Norway to reach World Cup semi-finals

Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic extra-time winner to secure England's place in the World Cup semi-finals with a narrow 2-1 victory over Norway. The midfielder netted his second goal of the match in the 93rd minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Norway's goalkeeper Orjan Nyland spilled a long-range shot.

Despite the crucial win, England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the team's fortunate escape. "We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today," Tuchel stated. "The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but not happy with the performance… we were very lucky today."

England's path to the semi-finals was fraught with luck. Their first equalizer, scored by Bellingham in first-half stoppage time, came after a goal kick struck an overhead television camera cable, an incident that should have resulted in a retaken kick. Furthermore, Norway saw a goal disallowed in the 55th minute after a VAR review for a foul by Erling Haaland on Elliot Anderson.

The match, played in sweltering conditions in Miami, saw Norway take the lead in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup's powerful shot. England, appearing weary, struggled to impose themselves. A significant missed opportunity for Norway came when Alexander Sorloth inexplicably chose to shoot rather than pass to a well-positioned Erling Haaland.

England's victory sets up a potential semi-final clash with rivals Argentina, who are also competing in the tournament. The win keeps England's World Cup dream alive, though their performance has raised questions about their readiness for the later stages.

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We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but not happy with the performance… we were very lucky today.