Bellingham the magician sends England to another World Cup semi-final

It is now six goals for him at the World Cup, the same as Harry Kane, and four alone in the stress and pressure of knock-out ties in Mexico and now Miami.

Is he surpassing even the England captain in importance? Maybe. Even if the next question is obvious: where would England be without him? As is the answer: home.

With him they are in the last four while if they win their semi-final and beat either France or Spain in the final next Sunday he will certainly be named player of the tournament.

As Thomas Tuchel said, England just need to find a way to win. They did that. Or, rather, Bellingham did. While the decisive goal was due to his predatory instinct, following in from Rogers’ shot, his first was simply brilliant.

It also means no England player has scored more goals from open play than Bellingham at a World Cup. And the 23-year-old is a midfielder.

Afterwards Tuchel said “enough said” on Bellingham who is “world class” although the England manager was far more passionate, spiky and critical about the performance in which England started and ended well but in between were extremely fortunate not to be beaten by a team they would expect to defeat.

And so they have matched their best-ever achievement on foreign soil at a World Cup, after the semi-finals in Italy in 1990 and Russia in 2018. It is only the fourth time in the tournament’s history that they have reached this stage.

Can they win it? Can they really keep relying on Kane and, increasingly, Bellingham? Tuchel made change after change, switching up his team and eventually and unashamedly going to five at the back as he tried to get them through. That involved taking off Bellingham who, as in Mexico, had worked incredibly hard.

Some of those changes were enforced, such as Declan Rice succumbing to the sickness bug that has affected him in the last few days. The vice-captain really is running on empty. Hopefully he can be revived for Wednesday’s semi-final.

Ultimately it worked with Rogers in central midfield, Reece James and Djed Spence in defence and Eberechi Eze further forward – after also initially coming on in midfield – making a difference. And then there was Dan Burn celebrating wildly after smashing a towering header deep out of play in the final minute of extra time.

This was a very different night from that memorable game against Mexico but had England followed it up by going out to Norway then it would have felt as if all that unforgettable work was forgettable after all.

Instead they won again and that is all that matters with the formidable John Stones dropping to his knees in tiredness and prayer-like celebration at the final whistle.

There was controversy as Norway blamed technology for England’s first goal and a second effort from themselves that was ruled out after a VAR check. But more of that later.

England had started well before the accursed hydration break – certainly needed on this occasion because of the harsh conditions – broke up their momentum allowing Norway to regroup and score.

It was a terrible goal for Jordan Pickford to concede. After his heroics in Mexico and in a game when he became England’s all-time World Cup appearance maker, with 18, the goalkeeper completely misread what appeared to be a cross, aimed towards Erling Haaland, by Andreas Schjelderup. The ball kissed the far post on its way in and England were behind. The Norwegian winger puffed out his cheeks almost in disbelief. As well he might.

From England there was a sense of panic and they alarmingly over-committed, allowing Norway to counter. Haaland was free, unmarked, in the middle but, fortunately for England, Alexander Sorloth went alone – he had to pass – and his shot was blocked. What a let-off.

Then came the first controversy as Bellingham deftly collected Anthony Gordon’s low cross on the run and had the skill, the determination and desire to take it on and make it his own, driving his shot low past goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

Except Norway had a unique complaint, arguing the ball had struck the wires of the so-called “Spidercam” which provides television coverage.

If so, play should have stopped and re-started with a drop ball. But the goal was given with Fifa later released a statement saying the sensor inside the ball had not detected any contact.

If that was factual, if disputed by some images, then Norway’s next complaint was subjective as they struck from a corner, after more poor England defending, only for it to be ruled out when the French referee Clément Turpin was sent to the pitchside monitor and agreed that Haaland had pushed over his new Manchester City team-mate Elliot Anderson.

That seemed harsh on Haaland – and he was furious – and Norway who then hit the crossbar through a header by Kristoffer Ajer. Once again England failed to deal with a corner.

By now England were on the ropes and being over-run with Martin Odegaard controlling the midfield. Their best hope was holding on and trying to regroup for extra time. Tuchel was doing his best and showing he can conjure a result – except he also needs a magician to do that. And that is Bellingham.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]