The Estadio Azteca, a cauldron of noise and history, nearly witnessed a miracle. But in the end, England held on for a 3-2 victory over Mexico in a World Cup round of 16 match that was as wild as it was unforgettable.
The seconds were ticking down. Mexico, trailing by a single goal, threw everything forward. Raúl Jiménez attempted a bicycle kick, but the ball was swatted away by a sea of English defenders. Eleven minutes of added time stretched into an eternity for the Three Lions.
Harry Kane, England’s captain and all-time leading scorer, had already done his damage. He buried a penalty kick to put England up 3-1, a goal that came after Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel tripped Anthony Gordon in the box. Kane was substituted late, replaced by Morgan Rogers, his night’s work complete.
But Mexico refused to die. Jiménez, with a stutter-step penalty of his own, pulled one back. The score was 3-2. The stadium roared. The impossible felt possible.
Álvaro Fidalgo had a clear look at goal, a chance to equalize. But his shot was weak, straight into the arms of Jordan Pickford. The save was routine. The dream, for Mexico, was slipping away.
The match was a tempest from the start. Jarell Quansah was shown a red card after a dangerous slide tackle on Jesús Gallardo. The referee was slow to call the foul, and Mexico’s bench stormed the pitch. A shoving match erupted. England, now down to 10 men, was forced to defend for their lives.
Earlier, Jude Bellingham had been unstoppable. He scored twice in two minutes—a header off a Bukayo Saka cross, then a tap-in from a Kane pass. England led 2-0. The Azteca was stunned.
But Julián Quiñones, Mexico’s Colombian-born star, answered. He tapped in a free kick to make it 2-1. It was his fourth goal of the tournament, tying him with legends Chicharito and Luis Hernández.
The first half was a blur of near-misses and raw emotion. Jiménez rattled the crossbar. César Montes had a goal denied when Bellingham, not Pickford, cleared the ball off the line. The band Maná performed at halftime, but the music was drowned out by the tension.
Mexico’s manager, Javier Aguirre, made a bold move at halftime, substituting captain César Montes for Edson Álvarez. No injury was reported. It was a tactical gamble.
The second half was a war of attrition. England, despite being a man down, clung to their lead. Mexico pushed, but Pickford was equal to everything. The final whistle blew. England advanced.
The match was delayed an hour due to thunderstorms. The altitude at the Azteca—7,350 feet—was a factor. Kane had said before the game, “It’s not an excuse. We’re still backing ourselves.”
They proved it. Barely.
