England are through to the World Cup quarter-finals, another round of reward codes has been sent out to successful players in the Snus Vikings Guess the Results competition, and what may prove to be one of the matches of the tournament is now safely in the history books.
If you guessed that England would overcome Mexico, congratulations, because I've been watching England since before the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, and I was expecting the disappointment that was so common before the Gareth Southgate years.
Keep an eye on your inbox, because another reward code is on its way and can be added to the collection you've already built throughout the competition.
Playing Mexico at the Estadio Azteca was always going to be one of the toughest assignments Thomas Tuchel's side could face. The hosts had not conceded a goal in the tournament before kick-off, they had the backing of almost 90,000 passionate supporters and the altitude of Mexico City has caught out visiting teams for decades. England knew they would have to produce something special to reach the last eight, and in the end they did exactly that.
Bellingham Sets the Tone
England had to weather plenty of early pressure as Mexico made the brighter start, but once they settled into the game the quality of Jude Bellingham began to shine through.
The Real Madrid midfielder once again demonstrated why he has become one of the outstanding players of this World Cup, scoring twice in quick succession during the first half to turn the match on its head. His movement between the lines caused Mexico problems throughout the evening, and just when the home crowd thought they had begun to establish control, Bellingham struck twice to leave England with a commanding advantage.
Mexico responded before half-time through Julián Quiñones, ensuring the second half would be every bit as tense as everyone had expected.
England Dig Deep
If the opening 45 minutes belonged to Bellingham, the second half became a test of England's character.
Things became significantly more difficult when Jarell Quansah was shown a red card early in the second period, leaving England to play more than half an hour with ten men against the hosts in one of world football's most intimidating stadiums. It was exactly the sort of moment that can change a tournament.
Instead of collapsing, England responded brilliantly.
Anthony Gordon won a crucial penalty, Harry Kane calmly converted from the spot to restore England's two-goal cushion and, although Raúl Jiménez pulled another goal back from the penalty spot for Mexico, England defended superbly during the closing stages. Jordan Pickford produced several outstanding saves, the back line threw themselves in front of everything that came into the penalty area, and when the final whistle eventually arrived England had secured a famous 3-2 victory.
It was far from comfortable, but knockout football rarely is.
Another Reward Code Has Been Sent
As with every featured fixture in the Snus Vikings Guess the Results competition, everyone who successfully guessed the outcome of England versus Mexico should now watch their inbox.
Another reward code has been sent out and can be stacked together with the others you've already collected during the tournament.
One of the best things about this competition has been seeing just how unpredictable the World Cup has become. We've had favourites held to draws, surprise victories, dramatic comebacks and now one of the tournament favourites surviving an extraordinary test in front of almost 90,000 home supporters.
Every correct guess moves you one step closer to building an even bigger collection of rewards.
Quarter-Finals Mean a Short Wait
Normally this is the point where we'd be telling you about the next featured match in the Snus Vikings Guess the Results competition.
This time, we're going to have to keep you waiting just a little longer.
With the tournament moving into the quarter-final stage, the fixture schedule is still being finalised, so we haven't yet announced which match will be the next one featured in the competition.
As soon as the next fixture has been confirmed, we'll update the World Cup competition page and publish another blog letting everyone know which game you'll be guessing next.
So keep an eye on the website, your email and our social media channels over the next couple of days.
The Tournament Is Only Getting Better
If England's dramatic victory over Mexico proved anything, it's that the World Cup is only getting more exciting as the knockout rounds continue.
Margins become smaller, pressure becomes greater and every mistake carries the risk of ending a nation's dream. England survived one of their toughest tests yet, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham once again delivered when it mattered most, and another place in the quarter-finals has been secured.
Our Guess the Results competition continues alongside the action, and there are still more opportunities to collect reward codes before the tournament reaches its conclusion.
We'll announce the next featured fixture as soon as it's confirmed.
Until then, enjoy the football, check your inbox if you guessed correctly against Mexico, and get ready for another huge round of World Cup drama.
