Jude Bellingham Scores Twice to Send England to World Cup Semifinal

Jude Bellingham scored two goals to lead England past Norway 2–1 in extra time on Saturday, sending England into the World Cup semifinal. The win was filled with drama and controversy, as Norway argued that a skycam wire hanging above the field changed the path of the ball before Bellingham's first goal. FIFA said its ball sensor technology showed no contact with the wire, but Norway was not satisfied with that explanation. England will now travel to Atlanta to face Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday.

England controlled the ball in the early part of the game but struggled to create clear scoring chances. Coach Thomas Tuchel looked frustrated during a water break, and Norway soon made England pay. Erling Haaland had a header saved, and then Andreas Schjelderup fired in a surprising goal off the far post to give Norway a 1–0 lead. It was Norway's first-ever goal in a World Cup quarterfinal.

England's equalizer came in a deeply controversial way. Norway's goalkeeper Orjan Nyland kicked the ball far upfield, and Norway's players believed it hit a skycam wire — a camera suspended above the pitch on cables — causing it to drop to England's Elliot Anderson. Anderson passed to Anthony Gordon, who found Bellingham, and Bellingham drove into the box and scored. FIFA stated that its Connected Ball Technology, which tracks the ball 500 times per second, showed no contact with the wire.

Norway grew even angrier when a second goal was taken away from them. Torbjorn Heggem thought he had scored to put Norway ahead 2–1, but the goal was overturned by VAR — the video review system used by referees. Officials ruled that Erling Haaland had pushed an England player before the corner kick that led to the goal. Norway's coach argued strongly with officials at halftime but could not change the decision.

Norway controlled much of the second half, putting England under real pressure. England had to work hard just to keep the score level, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and his defenders making key clearances. With neither team able to find a winner, the game went to extra time — an additional 30 minutes of play. England looked tired, and a penalty shootout seemed like the most likely way to decide the match.

Early in extra time, Norway's goalkeeper Nyland fumbled a long shot from England's Morgan Rogers. Bellingham reacted faster than anyone else and slammed the loose ball into the net for his sixth goal of the tournament. There was still more drama to come — England was awarded a penalty kick, but the referee reviewed the play on video and reversed the decision. Norway removed Haaland from the field late in extra time, and England held on to win 2–1.

England midfielder Declan Rice had been sick in the days before the match and was substituted at halftime after struggling to perform at his usual level. His replacement, Eberechi Eze, brought more energy to the midfield but could not control the game the way a healthy Rice normally does. This allowed Norway's midfielders to dominate for long stretches of the second half. It made the game far harder for England than it needed to be.

England now heads to Atlanta for Wednesday's semifinal carrying several concerns. Rice's health, Bellingham's fatigue after playing so many hard minutes, and the team's loss of shape for large parts of this game are all worrying signs. But England's fighting spirit helped them survive once again, and they are now just one win away from the World Cup final on July 19.