England survive Norway scare to keep World Cup dream alive

England booked their place in the World Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Both teams struggled early in the intense 108°F (42°C) heat. Norway struck first in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup fired a powerful shot past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England responded just before halftime through Jude Bellingham, who levelled the score at 1-1.

The second half produced more drama.

Norway appeared to have regained the lead when Torbjørn Heggem scored from a corner, but the goal was ruled out after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review found that Erling Haaland had pushed an England defender in the build-up.

With the score still level after 90 minutes, the match went into a 30-minute extra-time period. Bellingham netted the winner just three minutes in, pouncing on a loose ball after Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland parried a long-range effort.

The decisive goal sparked protests from Norway's players and coaching staff, who claimed the ball had struck an overhead television camera wire, altering its flight. However, FIFA dismissed the complaint, with the referee saying electronic data from the match ball showed no evidence that it had made contact with anything above the pitch.

Following the highly anticipated clash, clips seen by TNX Africa showed Norway star Erling Haaland embracing England match-winner Jude Bellingham.

According to ESPN, Haaland described the England midfielder as "one of the best in the world."

Haaland and Bellingham rose to prominence together during their time at Borussia Dortmund between 2020 and 2022, where they also formed a close friendship. Since then, both have flourished at Europe's biggest clubs. Haaland joined Manchester City in 2022 and has continued to shatter scoring records, while Bellingham signed for Real Madrid in 2023, quickly establishing himself as a key player and winning major honours.

The victory keeps England's hopes of winning their first World Cup title since 1966 alive. They will face Argentina in the semifinals on Wednesday, July 15, in Atlanta.

Norway's defeat ends a historic campaign, with the quarterfinal run marking the nation's best-ever World Cup finish.

Spain will face France in the other semifinal on Tuesday, July 14.