The Three Lions have conjured up another magical night at the World Cup as they battled past Mexico into the quarter-finals with a thrilling, yet nervy, victory. It was a match that had Manchester on tenterhooks for what felt like an eternity – 11 agonising minutes of injury time in fact – but in the end, it was the Red, White and Blue who emerged victorious.
The atmosphere at Europe's largest World Cup fan park was electrifying, with fans letting their hair down and singing their hearts out to Oasis classics like 'Wonderwall' as the clock ticked towards the small hours. England had set off on the right foot, too, with Jude Bellingham netting two in quick succession before Mexico snapped back into life just before half-time.
But then came the drama – and it was of the red-card variety. Jarell Quansah's high tackle left him walking the plank, leaving England to defend their lead with only 10 men for the majority of the second half. But despite being outnumbered, they dug deep and managed to hold on, securing a spot in the quarter-finals just after 4 am.
For some fans, it was a bittersweet moment – a welcome win, but at what cost? Jodie Warbuton, who'd taken the day off work, said she was 'glad we got through', while her colleague Leah Owen was already looking forward to the next match. 'If we can get through this, I think we've got more of a chance,' she said.
Callum Darcy, one of the thousands who'd braved the early hours, summed up the mood perfectly: 'It's amazing – great, everyone together.' And for international students Andrea Valerie, Andrew Rinaldy, and Arbi Fausta from Indonesia, it was a night to remember. They were beaming with pride as they joined in the celebrations, hoping England can now 'go all the way to the final'.