MIAMI: England secured a place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals after defeating Norway 2-1 in the tournament’s third quarter-final, advancing to the last four for the fourth time in the nation’s World Cup history.
England produced a strong comeback performance to overturn an early deficit and book a place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought victory.
Norway opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Schjelderup found the back of the net to give his side a 1-0 lead heading into the latter stages of the first half.
England responded after the break through Jude Bellingham, who scored twice to complete the comeback and secure a 2-1 victory for the Three Lions.
Norway thought they had equalized in the 55th minute when Heggem scored from a corner kick. However, after reviewing the incident through the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, the referee disallowed the goal, ruling that Erling Haaland had committed a foul on an England defender during the build-up to the goal.
The VAR decision proved decisive, allowing England to maintain their advantage before sealing victory and progressing to the semi-finals.
With the win, England have now reached the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for the fourth time in their history.
England won their only FIFA World Cup title in 1966, when they defeated West Germany in the final at Wembley Stadium.
The national team reached the semi-finals again at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, eventually finishing in fourth place after losing the third-place playoff.
England’s most recent appearance in the World Cup semi-finals before this tournament came in 2018, when they advanced to the last four in Russia but were defeated by Croatia before finishing fourth overall.
The latest victory gives England another opportunity to challenge for a place in the World Cup final and pursue a second world title.
For Norway, the tournament represented a historic achievement despite the defeat. The Scandinavian side reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history after qualifying for the tournament following a 28-year absence from football’s biggest competition.
Norway’s impressive campaign included several strong performances that carried the team into the knockout stages and ultimately into the last eight. However, their remarkable run came to an end against an experienced England side.
The match, played in Miami, featured several dramatic moments, including the controversial VAR review that ruled out Norway’s second goal and shifted momentum firmly in England’s favor.
England’s victory was driven by the outstanding performance of Jude Bellingham, whose two goals highlighted his importance to the team’s World Cup campaign.
With qualification secured, England will now prepare for the semi-finals as they move one step closer to another appearance in the FIFA World Cup final.
Norway, meanwhile, leave the tournament with plenty of positives after exceeding expectations and recording their best-ever World Cup performance. Their run to the quarter-finals is expected to provide a strong foundation for future international competitions and underline the progress of Norwegian football on the global stage.
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