Tense scenes in UK fan zones and pubs as England supporters back the Three Lions from afar

Fans in pubs and fan zones across the country looked upset as Argentina scored twice in just seven minutes to take a 2-1 lead just before the final whistle.

England, who wanted to guarantee their place in the final after 60 years, were ahead 1-0.

The match kicks off at 8pm UK time in Atlanta, Georgia, with thousands of fans traveling out of state to watch England play, while millions more watch screenings of the match across the country.

At the end of the first half, which saw 19 fouls and two yellow cards, both teams remained goalless, and the fans were sipping their drinks nervously.

However, in the 55th minute, Antony Gordon put England ahead by sending the ball into the net past Argentinian goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

There were wild scenes in Leeds as 4,500 English fans packed into the city’s Millennium Square to cheer on the team.

Beers flew into the evening sky as fans wildly celebrated with each other.

Fans then began chanting ‘football is coming home’; They knew the first World Cup final in 60 years was probably just over 30 minutes away.

More than 3,000 pints had been poured before the 8pm kick-off; vendors had orders for extra kegs to meet demand in the sold-out fan zone.

Fans in Manchester celebrate England’s goal and dance on the tables

Expectation is building across the country as fans anxiously wait to see if the Three Lions can make it to the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years.

Fans at The Clock pub in Hebburn went wild as England took the lead against Argentina in their World Cup clash

England fans are biting their nails with excitement as the match kicks off in Atlanta, Georgia

English football fans at Luna Springs in Birmingham ahead of the England-Argentina semi-final

Football fans prepare for kick-off in Manchester, where beers are already drunk

Student paramedic Kaye Davey, 19, along with pipefitter Findlay Thomas, 20, had a vision of how the World Cup semi-final would play out.

He said: ‘I’ve predicted every England match correctly so far. I think it will be 3-2 for us and then we will beat Spain in the final. It will be an unforgettable night.”

Tony Jenkinson, a 44-year-old construction worker from Leeds, was a little more cautious.

He said: ‘I think England have done incredibly well to get to this point, but it’s going to be really difficult.

To have a chance we have to keep Messi quiet and hope the referee is strong and doesn’t fall for Argentina’s dark arts.

‘I think he will go the distance; overtime and penalties. Then it’s a total lottery.

‘If we achieve this, then I think our name will be on the cup.’

Meanwhile, 1966 England World Cup Champion Sir Geoff Hurst said: ‘It’s a big day for England.

Two hours before the game, fans were in a joyful mood, proudly wearing the Three Lions jerseys of current and past teams

Jude Bellingham lookalike contest entrants at BOXPARK Shoreditch

Fan party at Birmingham Luna Springs before kick-off at 8pm this evening

England fans gather before their match against Argentina tonight

‘I really believe we can do this tonight! Kane, Bellingham, Rice are all world class. Fingers crossed. Good luck for tonight, guys. It’s time to win this thing again. ‘Come on guys.’

Among the hotly anticipated ones is the Greyhound in Diss, Norfolk, where punters are promised a free kick every time England score.

They said: ‘To celebrate England, we have consistently stayed true to our promise to reward our loyal customers with a free kick for every customer with every goal they score.

‘With 13 goals you can guess what my accountant is thinking, haha.’

Another bar, the Anchor in South Benfleet, will remain open despite the building being hit by a car.

Landlord Hayley Sewell told the BBC: ‘We wanted to stay open to the Benfleet community, which has given us so much.’

Although it said the incident was a ‘nuisance’, the business managed to cover any damage and keep its doors open.

An Essex Police spokesman said no life-threatening or life-changing injuries were reported following the crash.

England fans at a bar near Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before the match

English fans outside Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Three Lions fans have begun filling fan grounds across the country as Thomas Tuchel’s team prepare to take on Argentina in a historic clash this evening.

England fans gathered at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl for a screening of the match

One of the injured people was rescued from one of the cars by firefighters from Grays and Rayleigh Weir and later attended to by an ambulance.

Meanwhile, fans hoping to rush home and to pubs to watch the crucial game in London could face potential delays following reports that e-bike rental app Lime is unavailable in the capital.

The Daily Mail has contacted Lime for a comment.

Elsewhere in London, the search for the UK’s best Jude Bellingham lookalike has flared up with ‘doppelgängers’ gathering at BOXPARK Shoreditch ahead of tonight’s match.

The winner will receive £1,966 in Deliveroo credit and fans can also enjoy free drinks and other prizes as part of Deliveroo’s ‘Believeroo’ campaign.

But tangible joy was not felt across the country as a pub faced losing its license after a ‘recreational game’ fan complained to the council about fans chanting.

Landlord Antony Lunn was left ‘stunned’ when he received a letter about a ‘ridiculous’ noise complaint at The Rustic Arms pub in Ackworth, West Yorkshire.

Wakefield Council’s warning comes after it threatens to revoke its license following reports of ‘particularly bad’ noise levels following England’s 2-0 win over Panama on Sunday (28 June).

Mr Lunn, who screened matches outside as fans chanted ‘pure joy’, said the pub was ‘absolutely exciting’ throughout the tournament.

The fans looked on edge throughout the exciting first half, which ended 0-0; Neither team had a shot on target, but there were 19 fouls and two yellow cards.

England football fans at Luna Springs in Birmingham ahead of the England v Argentina semi-final

English football fans at Luna Springs in Birmingham ahead of the England-Argentina semi-final

England fans party pre-match in Birmingham

He said receiving the complaint was a real “kick in the teeth”, adding that ‘they never caused any problems’ and football was ‘the only positive thing’.

Mr Lunn, 37, said: ‘This is a ridiculous complaint. It arrived yesterday and I was a little shocked.

‘I looked at it, threw it aside, laughed and went for a beer. Some people literally need to get a hobby.’

The bar shared a photo of the letter on Facebook, titled ‘buy a house near the bar and start complaining to the municipality that the noise is too loud at football’.

Mr Lunn said the letter warned that if they received further complaints they could revoke his licence, take him to court or remove any equipment.

Many users defended the bar, with one user saying the complaint was “hilariously stupid”.

The landlord said the pub would “absolutely” not do anything different if England face Argentina in the semi-final this evening.

Wakefield Council claims the complaint relates to multiple incidents of “amplified music” and is not a one-off incident.

However, Mr. Lunn claims that they did not listen to music outside and that the only noise they made outdoors, including on the evening in question, was a match.