6 July 2026
Kane Six Goals Deep as England Survive Azteca Chaos
Harry Kane's penalty put England 3-1 up and secured a last-eight place, but Thomas Tuchel's side were made to sweat hard after Jarell Quansah's red card left them with ten men.
It was the kind of night that will age England fans prematurely, but Thomas Tuchel's side held on to beat Mexico 3-1 in a pulsating last-16 tie at the Azteca, according to The Guardian. Julián Quiñones gave the hosts hope before the interval, but Harry Kane converted a penalty to make it 3-1 and take his tournament tally to six goals and his combined club and country seasonal tally to a staggering 73.
The drama intensified in the 54th minute when stand-in right-back Jarell Quansah was sent off for an ugly challenge, leaving England to defend with ten men for the closing stages. Mexico capitalised, with Raúl Jiménez adding a second from the penalty spot as the hosts pushed relentlessly for an equaliser.
England survived, but the match exposed the right-back position as an ongoing weakness that continues to give Tuchel headaches. The Guardian described Mexico's defiance as a key theme of the evening, and England's defending in the final minutes as a nervy rear-guard action.
The reward is a quarter-final against Norway and Erling Haaland, which promises to be an altogether different kind of test.
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