Bellingham's brace helps England edge Norway to reach World Cup semifinals

Jude Bellingham's stellar performance, including two crucial goals, propelled England into the World Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway on Saturday. The Real Madrid star showcased his class by netting a stoppage-time equalizer in the first half and then pouncing on a rebound early in extra time to seal the comeback win in Miami's humid conditions.

England's journey to the semifinals was not without its challenges. The match began slowly, with both teams struggling to adapt to the stifling heat. Norway surprisingly took the lead in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup's deep cross deflected off the post and into the net. England's defense, however, managed to hold off further Norwegian advances, including a near miss from Erling Haaland.

Bellingham's first goal, a moment of individual brilliance, leveled the score just before halftime. After the break, Norway thought they had retaken the lead through Torbjorn Heggem, but a VAR review overturned the goal due to a foul in the build-up. England pressed for a winner, with chances from Bukayo Saka and Bellingham himself narrowly missing the target.

In extra time, Bellingham proved decisive. Following a long-range effort that goalkeeper Orjan Nyland failed to control, Bellingham reacted quickest to smash the rebound into the net, securing England's place in the next round. "Character, perseverance [got us through]; even when things weren’t working, we gave everything we got. I’m so proud of the team," Bellingham said after the match.

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Character, perseverance [got us through]; even when things weren’t working, we gave everything we got. I’m so proud of the team. It was a victory for everyone. The whole country wins – everyone behind us, the staff.