Joyful\u2014and visibly relieved\u2014England supporters filled packed pubs across London during the early hours of Sunday, celebrating a tense World Cup quarter-final win over Norway that sent the team into the semi-finals.<\/p>\n
Olly Aleksejuk, 32, described it as the sort of match England fans know all too well after the side rallied from a goal down to secure a 2-1 victory following extra-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cClassic England,\u201d said Aleksejuk, an IT worker, who watched the game on a large screen set up outside a bar in south London, adding that he wanted the result to come with less stress.<\/p>\n
Norway stunned the competition in Miami when Andreas Schjelderup put them ahead, but Jude Bellingham levelled the scores just before half-time.<\/p>\n
England then had to absorb pressure after Norway were denied a second strike during the second half. The goal was ruled out following a VAR check connected to a foul involving Erling Haaland.<\/p>\n
Bellingham ultimately delivered in the decisive moment, firing home a rebound to set up an upcoming last-four tie against either Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Lucy Bickley, 30, watched from the same south London area and singled out Bellingham as the reason the night felt manageable even as the match tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just know he\u2019s going to pull through,\u201d she told AFP at the bar, while Bickley, who works in marketing, added that it felt as though the outcome was never truly in doubt.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere around the capital, roughly 1,600 supporters wearing St George\u2019s flag bucket hats gathered at Boxpark in Wembley, in north-west London.<\/p>\n
There, fans threw themselves into celebrations, singing the Beatles\u2019 \u201cHey Jude\u201d and \u201cThree Lions,\u201d including its well-known chorus, \u201cIt\u2019s coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fabian Maddix, 31, said his confidence wavered after Norway\u2019s early breakthrough, but that he still believed England would respond.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had hopes but after the first goal went in from them, I started doubting things, but I always believe,\u201d Maddix said, speaking to the Press Association.<\/p>\n
The government extended licensing hours for hospitality venues across England and Wales until 2:00 am, helping fuel the post-match atmosphere as celebrations rolled into the early morning.<\/p>\n
As the referee\u2019s whistle confirmed England\u2019s passage to the last four shortly before 1:00 am, supporters spilled out in Camden, north London, singing while drivers honked their car horns and cyclists rang their bells.<\/p>\n
Prime public figures also joined in. Prince William was among the first to send congratulations on social media, writing: \u201cWell done England! Top performance in a tough environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
William added: \u201cThis is a special team. Commiserations to a proud Norway team. Onto the semi-final. Never in doubt!\u201d<\/p>\n
Ahead of the game, St George\u2019s flags were displayed at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n
Starmer then joined the prince in praising the squad and drew a connection to past history, referencing Bjorge Lillelien\u2019s well-known commentary when Norway beat England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in 1981.<\/p>\n
On X, Starmer tagged Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store, posting: \u201cNorway 1 \u2013 2 Jude Bellingham. @JonasGahrStore, your boys took one hell of a beating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Back outside the south London bar, Henry Freestone, 32, predicted England could go all the way, saying he expected the team to reach their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re getting to the final, and who knows what happens? Hopefully we go all the way,\u201d Freestone told AFP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Joyful\u2014and visibly relieved\u2014England supporters filled packed pubs across London during the early hours of Sunday, celebrating a tense World Cup quarter-final win over Norway that sent the team into the semi-finals. England edge past Norway in extra-time thriller Olly Aleksejuk, 32, described it as the sort of match England fans know all too well after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"England Reach Semifinals After Extra-Time Win vs Norway","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Relieved England fans erupt in London pubs after a tense extra-time quarter-final win over Norway, sending the team into the World","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n