Jude Bellingham grabbed a last-gasp equaliser to prevent England from suffering back-to-back home defeats after Youri Tielemans’ brilliant brace looked set to hand Belgium an impressive win at Wembley.
With time almost up, the Real Madrid man fired low into the bottom corner after substitute James Maddison had picked him out in the area.
It was no more than the home side deserved after Belgium had twice led through England errors – Jordan Pickford and Lewis Dunk the guilty men – with Southgate also likely to have been encouraged by Kobbie Mainoo’s impressive first start and a maiden England goal for Ivan Toney.
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He would have been less pleased to see John Stones limp off early on – a sentiment no doubt shared by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola with Sunday’s crunch Premier League clash against Arsenal looming large.
A topsy-turvy encounter ends 2-2 at @wembleystadium! pic.twitter.com/GNfDYGZccs
— England (@England) March 26, 2024
Toney almost made an impact inside 30 seconds, a year to the day since he made his international debut against Ukraine, but failed to make decent contact on a fine cross from Jarrod Bowen.
It was a promising start from England, despite the loss of Stones, but they fell behind after 11 minutes. Pickford’s clearance was straight to Everton team-mate Amadou Onana and he cushioned it for Tielemans to fire into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
For all the criticism he receives, it was Pickford’s first error that led to a goal in his 60 England appearances.
The former Sunderland stopper would have been delighted to see England level six minutes later.
Mainoo started the move with a brilliant turn in midfield and pass to Bellingham. The former Borussia Dortmund man slipped in Toney and he was felled by a desperate lunge from Jan Vertonghen. Toney displayed his usual calmness from the penalty spot to slot the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
England thought they had gone ahead after 26 minutes when Bowen glanced home after Dunk had nodded Phil Foden’s corner back across goal only for his effort to be chalked off for offside by VAR.
The Three Lions continued to pour forward, the enterprising Bowen shooting over, as did Bellingham from close range after Mainoo had dispossessed Onana.
Despite dominating, England were caught out by another piece of carelessness nine minutes before half-time.
Dunk failed to cut out a long ball from Tielemans, allowing Romelu Lukaku to escape down the right. The Roma striker then delivered a magnificent, outside of the foot cross for the galloping Tielemans to head home at the far post.
Cold rainy Tuesday night in London. 🌦️ #ENGBEL pic.twitter.com/sPzCRd68dp
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) March 26, 2024
It was harsh on the hosts and they twice came close to restoring parity before the break – Matz Sels saving from Bellingham and Bowen.
England continued to boss proceedings after half-time with the impressive Sels denying Toney, Bowen and Mainoo while Bellingham should have done better than head wastefully wide from close range.
Foden then came close to an equaliser, flashing a low shot across the face of goal when he ought to have hit the target.
Bellingham did better deep into injury-time. Belgium failed to clear and Maddison had the presence of mind to cut it back for Bellingham to fire home.
