England 2 DR Congo 1 ….. and now onto the conflagration in the Azteca.

Our football tradition includes the wonder of knockout football in the FA Cup. The biggest clubs with the biggest stars have to play on tight intensely hostile grounds against lower ranked professionals who are motivated because know they can live in glory forever – if they can only get a result.

The Azteca might overpower the referee. The passion might overpower an England player and a rash tackle leads to a red card. There is the heat and the altitude and the bad air. The stadium will rock.

To play in such a place is a privilege. Like playing at Anfield or playing at Millwall. Or playing for Madrid or playing for Bayern. It is just football. At this level its another game.

England showed a few sinews. Rashford looked like he could get loose. Madueke softened them up, Rice was cooking up the dead ball plays. The relentless Anderson was pushing, Bellingham ghosting about and we have a centre forward.

It will be 1am on Monday morning in London when the images from the Azteca will allow us to watch the game.

Electric action from across the atlantic ocean. Into our homes.

It is a beautiful thing – this world cup.

Is it coming …

Come On England.