Jude Bellingham scored with the last kick of the game, salvaging a 2-2 friendly draw for England and denying Belgium their first-ever win at Wembley. Despite extending their winless run to three matches, the Three Lions found reasons to feel positive.
Gareth Southgate’s final opportunity to assess England hopefuls ahead of UEFA Euro 2024 has been disrupted by rampant injuries. John Stones added to the growing list of casualties, hobbling off the pitch within nine minutes. His injury will be a concern not only to England but also to Manchester City.
Just two minutes later, matters worsened for England with a calamitous defensive mix-up. Jordan Pickford’s poor clearance was seized upon by the visitors, and Youri Tielemans capitalized by rolling the ball into the bottom corner from distance.
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In a frantic first half that picked up pace, Kobbie Mainoo made his mark by sparking an attack that led to Ivan Toney winning a penalty and converting it himself, securing his first goal for England.
Jarrod Bowen appeared to score his first goal with a close-range header, but upon closer inspection, it was flagged for offside. Belgium responded by regaining the lead before the interval.
Lewis Dunk was notably at fault as he crumbled under pressure from Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku’s spectacular outside-of-the-foot cross was then powered home by Tielemans’ diving header.
Re-emerging in nameless shirts to raise awareness for dementia, England continued to push forward with the kind of free-flowing football that was completely absent in Saturday’s loss to Brazil.
Jude Bellingham’s late goal saw England salvage a draw against Belgium
Phil Foden’s trademark turn in midfield created an opportunity for Toney, who, with an assured display, enhanced his chances of making the Euros squad over Ollie Watkins. However, his effort was ultimately saved into the side-netting.
Bowen and Foden both threatened the visitors late in the game, but it was Bellingham who came through in the darkest depths of stoppage time. He met James Maddison’s cut-back and slotted past Matz Sels to ignite a roar from the rain-soaked Wembley crowd.
Belgium maintains their unbeaten record in all 11 matches under Domenico Tedesco. However, the edge was slightly taken off the occasion as attention now shifts towards a pair of pre-tournament friendlies in June. Both sides will be eager to build momentum as the tournament approaches.
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