A quick aside before we get into the recaps/analysis...a thought exercise for the comments section:

Based on FIFA's world rankings (if you believe such things), Norway is a legitimate upset over Brazil and while England became just the third country to win a competitive match at the Azteca over Mexico. And I think that makes the England win more impressive right?

We know this isn't the Brazil of old, this Brazil fails to advance in the quarterfinals all the time to teams like Belgium and Croatia...and I think Norway is on par with those teams despite their lower ranking because Norway has well been kinda meh for a couple of decades.

England however with a true road win in the knockouts of the World Cup...it might not be an upset by definition but it's by far the most impressive win.

Says a lot about where Brazil's MNT is right now.

ENGLAND 3, MEXICO 2

For the second straight game, a host country at the 2026 World Cup were left to rue a first half full of promise. Jude Bellingham scored a brace two minutes apart and England survived a second half red card to eliminate a second North American host side.

England's first started thanks to a driving run through midfield from Declan Rice who laid off to Bukayo Saka on the right wing. Saka then attacked towards the endline before firing in a centering cross over Harry Kane making the near post run and but finding an unmarked Bellingham at the back post having ghosted his marker with a trailing run from the top of the box.

Two minutes later, it seemed a lot shorter than that, because England forced a turnover basically on the ensuing kickoff with Anthony Gordon finding Harry Kane who centered for a streaking Bellingham to tuck home his second in practically as many minutes.

El Tri did get one back before the half, with Julian Quinones tallying his fourth of the tournament a few minutes before halftime to keep Mexico in it.

England were reduced to 10-men early in the second half when defender Jarell Quansah tackled Jesus Gallardo on the nearside wing in the 52nd minute. Live it looked like Quansah had gotten the ball pinned against the man and had taken possession despite getting a lot of the Mexican fullback...but VAR rightly intervened.

Replays show Quansah leaving his feet far too close to the ball and Gallardo, his leg coming off the top off the ball into his opponent as a straight leg tackle without clearly winning the ball. The exact type of challenge VAR should be intervening for.

Harry Kane would dispatch a penalty after Raul Rangel took down Anthony Gordon in the box followed by VAR review giving Mexico a penalty when Harry Kane was just late to a waist high ball and ended up catching the underside of Brian Gutierrez's leg who had the exact same thought as the English striker and Raul Jimenez tallied from the spot to give El Tri hope.

But in a playbook straight out of Germany tried to equalize against Paraguay...Mexico just began lumping crosses into the box against a parked double decker bus. Very disappointed that El Tri didn't have any better ideas because statistically, they could have won this game.

While the lack of creativity at the end of the game can be attributed in some part to England's defense, not getting any big chances in the early stages when they had similar edge in possession that they had late (about a 65-35 split in the first half and overall) came back to bite them in the worst way when Bellingham started raining in goals.

Still, Mexico went down fighting but were effectively doomed by two minutes of mastery from Bellingham and some stout English defense late.

NORWAY 2, BRAZIL 0

Alright, we're going to keep this simple. Brazil in some weird bizzaro world anti-Jogo Bonito gameplan decided to let Norway have the ball for most of the game and generated a whole lot of not much unless it was from the penalty spot.

Okay, cool Viking stuff first - Erling Haaland's breakthrough in the 79th minute was fairly standard. Andreas Schjelderup crossed in from the left wing, Haaland darted in front of his marker and headed home. The second goal, this time from a simpler feed from Schjelderup at the top corner of the box, saw Haaland turn and fire a wormburner the full diagonal length of the box to pick out the far corner of Alisson's net. A tremendous long range goal for someone usually known for only scoring inside the area.

Okay, bad Brazil stuff now...what was this gameplan? The mighty Selecao giving their opponents 66% of the ball and getting out passed by a 2-1 margin? Take away the two penalties and Brazil might have generated about the same xG as Norway (2.61-1.05).

And still Brazil should have been in front with a stone cold penalty fifteen minutes in only for Bruno Guimaraes to do this:

I know this Brazil roster isn't at the legendary level of decades past, but you're still Brazil. Any game plan that doesn't have you on the front foot is probably a bad one and while Norway is good they are far from being among the world's elite.

Though they'll get a chance to enter that realm in the next round.

UPCOMING MATCHES

Norway-England will take place Saturday July 11 in Miami FL at 5pm (US Eastern).

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