England beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after an ill-tempered 1-1 draw in Moscow to set up a World Cup quarter-final with Sweden.
Carlos Bacca missed the all-important spot-kick as England reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2006 with their first ever World Cup shootout victory.
Harry Kane’s sixth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot gave Gareth Southgate’s men the lead after 57 minutes but Yerry Mina’s 93rd-minute header sent the game to extra-time.
A gripping match ended in dramatic fashion as after Jordan Henderson and Mateus Uribe missed from the spot, Jordan Pickford kept out Bacca’s attempt before Eric Dier kept his cool to send England through.
It was they who created the first opportunity after 16 minutes as Kieran Trippier combined with Jesse Lingard down the right to cross for Kane to head over at the far post.
The main flashpoint of the first period came with five minutes remaining as Wilmar Barrios appeared to bump his head into Henderson’s chin inside the box as England prepared for a free-kick, but American referee Mark Geiger brandished only a yellow card.
Lingard blazed over when well placed in first-half stoppage time before a tense half ended with Raheem Sterling being barged as he left the pitch by Colombia’s fitness trainer Julio Urtasun.
But just eight minutes into the second half, England were handed a glorious chance to break the deadlock as Carlos Sanchez was penalised for wrestling Kane to the ground inside the box.
After a wait of almost four minutes and clear attempts by Johan Mojica to scuff up the penalty spot, the country’s talisman coolly lifted the ball down the middle beyond the dive of David Ospina.
England should have doubled their lead when Dele Alli headed over from Trippier’s cross eight minutes later before Juan Cuadrado blazed over from an acute angle after Bacca dispossessed Kyle Walker.
Pickford made a brilliant save to deny a speculative shot from Uribe in the third minute of stoppage time but Mina rose above Harry Maguire to head in the resulting corner to send the game to extra-time.
Colombia grew in stature during the first half of extra-time with Falcao heading wide from Mojica’s cross, but England found a second wind as Danny Rose dragged a shot wide before Dier headed over when unmarked.
But the match went to penalties, with Falcao scoring the opening spot-kick before Kane drilled in his attempt. Cuadrado restored Colombia’s advantage before Marcus Rashford slotted home but Luis Muriel made no mistake to keep the South Americans in front.
Ospina saved Henderson’s penalty to put Colombia on the brink but Uribe blasted his effort against the underside of the bar before Trippier restored parity. A big left hand from Pickford then kept out Bacca’s fierce effort – leaving the unflappable Dier to stroke past the outstretched glove of Ospina to spark emotional scenes.
Source: Sky Sports