England are preparing for one of their toughest tests yet as the United States await news on Folarin Balogun’s fate, and Senegal are left heartbroken after one of the most dramatic collapses of the tournament.
England’s reward for defeating DR Congo is a daunting last-16 clash against hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium, where an opponent backed by a passionate home crowd will also enjoy a significant physiological advantage.
At approximately 7,200 feet above sea level, Mexico City’s thin air presents a challenge England manager Thomas Tuchel admits his players simply cannot overcome in the few days available.
“The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it,” Tuchel said. “It just takes too much time. We have only three days between these matches. It’s physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude.”
Sports scientists have long maintained that athletes require one to two weeks at high altitude for their bodies to produce enough additional red blood cells to maximise oxygen intake. England have no such luxury.
Mexico, meanwhile, have spent the tournament playing almost exclusively in high-altitude venues, including three matches at the Azteca and another in Guadalajara, giving them a natural advantage that could become increasingly significant as the game progresses.
Despite the environmental challenge, England remain favourites. According to Opta’s Supercomputer, the Three Lions have a 53.13 per cent probability of defeating Mexico and advancing to the quarter-finals. They are also given a 28.98 per cent chance of reaching the semi-finals, a 16.94 per cent likelihood of making the final, and an 8.39 per cent chance of lifting only their second World Cup title.
While England prepare for an endurance test, the United States are anxiously awaiting the disciplinary outcome involving one of their standout performers.
Folarin Balogun, who had already scored three goals in the tournament after inspiring victories over Paraguay and Bosnia-Herzegovina, saw his World Cup thrown into doubt following a straight red card during the second-half of Wednesday’s victory.
The 24-year-old striker had looked destined for a hat-trick after repeatedly troubling Bosnia’s defence before an aerial duel with defender Tarik Muharemovic ended disastrously. As Balogun attempted to shield the ball, his boot came down on the back of Muharemovic’s ankle, prompting an immediate dismissal that could rule him out of the United States’ knockout fixture against Belgium.
For Senegal, however, the pain was even greater.
With just four minutes of normal time remaining, the African side appeared to have secured one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
Goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had given Pape Thiaw’s men a deserved 2-0 lead over Belgium after a commanding display.
Then everything unravelled.
Romelu Lukaku ignited Belgium’s comeback with an 86th-minute strike before captain Youri Tielemans headed home Leandro Trossard’s cross only three minutes later to force extra time.
The decisive moment arrived in the dying seconds when the Video Assistant Referee awarded Belgium a controversial penalty following Lamine Camara’s challenge on Tielemans. The Belgian captain calmly converted in the 125th minute to complete an astonishing turnaround and send Senegal crashing out.
“Football is just crazy. I couldn’t call any of this game,” former England striker Dion Dublin said on BBC Radio 5 Live after the dramatic encounter.
Former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane was equally stunned, observing that Senegal had somehow “found a way to lose the game” despite controlling large periods of the contest.
The defeat compounds an already painful year for Senegal, who were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations crown earlier in 2026. Now, another golden opportunity has slipped away in agonising fashion, leaving one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations to wonder how a place in the last 16 disappeared from their grasp in the closing moments.
