Brilliant Bellingham does it again! England hero Jude produces Miami magic to fire Three Lions into World Cup semi-finals after nervy extra-time win over Norway

On a sweltering, sweltering Saturday night in South Florida, England were slowly burning through the Miami heat and a Norwegian effort at the Hard Rock Stadium.

They worked, they suffered and they fell behind, but they refused to fade away, just like they did last week in the Azteca cauldron.

England practiced and practiced and flirted with defeat in the sweltering humidity that made this one of the hottest matches ever played in a World Cup. and sweat made even their light white shirts heavy.

But Jude Bellingham cares little for what exhausts mortal men or weakens the existence of others.

When Thomas Tuchel’s team fell behind Norway, Bellingham walked through the fire and saved England.

He scored once in the first half and scored again in the first two minutes of the extra period to secure a 2-1 win. His teammates looked exhausted and defeated, but he refused to give up.

It was his Miami heist, sending England into the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday.

He was smart in tracking a long-distance shot and reacted quickest when the ball went out

Bellingham now has six goals this World Cup and, among his other exploits, is right in the middle of the race for the Golden Boot. The challenge alone was magnificent. It read: Fire, walk with me.

It was a different kind of trial after the altitude test in their last 16 draw with Mexico at the Azteca Stadium last weekend, but once again England showed they are not lacking in courage.

They didn’t play well. They haven’t played well for most of this tournament, but they’ve kept Erling Haaland’s contribution to a minimum and continue to find a way to win.

They exorcise their ghosts as they travel on this journey through the United States and Mexico.

England traveled to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, where Diego Maradona scored the famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against them in 1986, and erased the pain with a 3-2 win with 10 men on high in front of a hostile and enthusiastic crowd, the country’s greatest victory on foreign soil.

In Miami, England faced an opponent whose World Cup qualifying victory in Oslo in 1981 had spawned one of the most repeated passages in football commentary ever. England has spent 45 years being the butt of someone else’s joke, and now we can smile more easily at it.

It may not have quite the same ring, but after all these decades it’s worth an answer: Edvard Munch, Henrik Ibsen, Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, Roald Amundsen, Magnus Carlsen, A-ha, John Arne Riise, Northern Lights, Viking Row, Odin, Thor, Loki and Frigg… your kids got a bad beating.

Tuchel brought John Stones back into the center of the England defense alongside Marc Guehi, meaning Haaland was manned by two of his Manchester City team-mates, with the third, Nico O’Reilly, at left-back. They knew Haaland’s strengths. Haaland knew their weaknesses.

England dominated possession in the early stages and passed the ball to Noni Madueke, who found space on England’s right. Madueke, who was on the bench instead of Bukayo Saka, could not make the most of this opportunity. Anthony Gordon on the other wing looked more of a threat.

Andreas Schjelderup stunned England with a superb opening goal from long range

Jordan Pickford could only watch as Schjelderup’s cross hit the post and flew into the net

Half of England’s chances in the first quarter came just before rehydration, when Madueke deftly brought down a long ball and drove it towards goal. O’Reilly aimed his boot towards the goal but was unable to direct it towards the goal with any force and the ball was hacked away.

For once, a hydration break felt like an obligation, not just an advertising opportunity. England’s players grabbed bottles of liquid and wrapped ice towels around their necks. A few seconds after the restart Bellingham won a free kick on the edge of the Norway area. Kane set the bar too high.

England received their first alarm 12 minutes before the break when Stones was caught lingering on the ball by Haaland in the England half. The ball escaped the Norwegian striker and Jordan Pickford collected it, but England’s escape only emboldened their opponents.

A minute later Julian Ryerson crossed from the right and although Haaland rose majestically to meet it, he was able to direct his header straight at Pickford. At the climax of Haaland’s leap, the crowd erupted in awe.

Norway suddenly became dominant. Kane lost the ball in the middle of the pitch and although he claimed he had been fouled from behind, referee Clement Turpin allowed play to continue. He reached Andreas Schjelderup on the left wing, ran towards Ezri Konsa and then sent the ball into the goal.

It may have been intended as a cross or a shot, but the effect was the same. It hit the inside of the far post and nestled into the net.

England was shaken. Alexander Sörloth fired a shot just over the bar and just when it looked like the game was about to slip away from them for good, England created an extra-time draw at the end of the half, which started serendipitously when Norway’s goal kick hit the overhead camera and fell to Elliot Anderson.

Play was supposed to be recalled, but it wasn’t. The ball passed to Anthony Gordon.

He played a ball across the area and Bellingham ran towards the ball, miscued his mark and drifted left before firing a low shot past Orjan Nyland. It was a superb, clinical result, Bellingham’s latest gritty feat of this tournament. It was his fifth goal of the World Cup.

Tuchel was not happy with what he saw after Kane’s goal was disallowed due to offside in the last seconds of the half, so he substituted Saka for Madueke at the break and Eberechi Eze for Declan Rice, who had been struggling with illness all week. Sitting on the bench, Rice’s eyes looked vacant.

Norway thought they had regained the lead 12 minutes after the break when Torbjorn Heggem shot from the corner, but they escaped despite England’s poor defence. VAR called the referee to review Haaland’s shot at Elliot Anderson just before the corner was taken and the strike was disallowed.

Bellingham was surrounded by four Norwegian players but scored an excellent goal to make it 1-1.

England fans across the country, both in the US and England, celebrated Bellingham’s goals

Thomas Tuchel was attacked by crowds while celebrating for Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta

England escaped again with 15 minutes left in normal time. They failed to clear the corner and when the ball was returned to the penalty area David Moller Wolfe headed the ball over Pickford. Pickford was beaten but the ball struck the face of the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

Reece James came on to replace Anthony Gordon, but none of Tuchel’s substitutions worked.

England was failing. Norway were in complete control of the game and England offered almost no threat going forward. Norwegian fans started partying in the stands by doing Viking Row.

Finally, four minutes later, Saka made a great run towards the byline and pushed the ball towards the goal. Kane and Eze tried to put in the finishing touch but the ball touched down before it could reach them.

As soon as extra time started, England took an unexpected lead. Morgan Rogers took a shot from outside the penalty area and Nyland cleared the ball. Bellingham reacted quickest, reaching the loose ball and slotting it over the line. This was more than England deserved.

England were awarded a penalty when Djed Spence was brought down, but the referee was told to review the penalty and ruled that the contact had been initiated by the Spurs defender.

Nyland survived Spence well, followed by Saka and then England withstood the siege of Norway. Bellingham was replaced near the end and he was done.