Norway v England LIVE: World Cup quarter-final score and updates from sweltering Miami – UK Times

In Euro 2016, England had a quarter-final to look forward to. They were set to face France in Paris. Until they weren’t. The last-16 tie against Iceland turned into one of the most chastening days in the history of the national team.

It was also a turning point; in several ways, really. Roy Hodgson departed, his decision not to scout Iceland in person and to instead accompany his assistant, Ray Lewington, on a boat trip on the Seine destined for infamy.

Since then, however, England are five out of five. When Thomas Tuchel takes his team to Miami, it will be a fifth successive quarter-final. No other country has reached the last eight of each of the last three World Cups and two European Championships.

Richard Jolly discusses how the quarter-final curse is over but there is still new ground to be broken:

You’ve still got time to listen to the latest Copa Independent podcast episode.

The lads make some bold predictions about this evening’s match…

Warm-ups underway at Miami Stadium. We’re edging towards kick-off

“It’s alright, not my finest hour, main job was to go there and win,” Jordan Henderson says after his horror injury in the aftermath of England’s win over Mexico.

“That’s the main thing. A tough couple of days, as soon as I came back, the lads, a great medical team, the doctors and surgeons were amazing, delighted to be part of the squad again today.

“I think it’s the same thing we showed, the resilience and character, a lot of obstacles to overcome, a lot of very good players, the best version of ourselves, I’m confident we can go through.

“It’s a challenge [to stop Haaland], but they’ve got a lot of top players, they’re a top team. We’ll cross that bridge [playing in a semi-final or final] when we come to it.”

Thomas Tuchel has been chatting to ITV and explained his thinking behind selecting Ezri Konsa.

“We lost another right-back, in Jarell [Quansah], Reece [James]is available, but maybe not for 90 minutes. I’d like to have him as an option,” said Tuchel.

“Ezri played for us at the highest level, that’s the thinking.”

On Stones and Guehi, Haaland’s club teammates, starting: “They know him, but he knows them as well, that’s the goal, to stop their front line and Erling, Sorloth. We want to be a strong team from set-pieces.”

On what he wants from his team: “We want to spend more time in the opponent’s half. We can be better in a high press, deep build-up, to overcome the opponent’s high press. Spend more time in their half, especially in these conditions.”

The Golden Boot race is a fascinating sub-plot to this World Cup.

But Harry Kane says it isn’t even on his radar, with winning the World Cup itself his main goal

Jordan Pickford makes history tonight as he becomes England’s all-time leading appearance maker at the World Cup.

This is his 18th outing at the tournament, taking him beyond fellow goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

A great moment for England’s No 1

Some interesting selection calls from Norway, who look like they may be lining up in a 3-4-3.

They have flip-flopped on their starting wingers at this tournament and today they’ve opted for the giant Alexander Sorloth (who would be starting up front but for Erling Haaland) and Julian Ryerson. It means the nippy Antonio Nusa and the ball-playing Oscar Bobb are on the bench.

Haaland and Martin Odegaard start as expected.

Norway XI: Nyland; Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Berg, Berge, Odegaard, Schjelderup; Sorloth, Haaland, Ryerson

The England team has landed and it’s exactly as we expected, with Ezri Konsa entrusted to be the right-back, while Noni Madueke gets the nod over Bukayo Saka on the right wing.

John Stones and Marc Guehi for the centre-back partnership, as Declan Rice is fit to start in midfield.

England XI: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice, Bellingham; Madueke, Kane, Gordon

We should get confirmation of the England team (and the Norway side) shortly