England manager Gareth Southgate said his team got the reward they deserved after edging Colombia 4-3 in a gut-wrenching World Cup penalty shootout to set up a quarter-final clash against Sweden.
England looked to be heading into the last eight courtesy of Harry Kane's 57th-minute penalty in Moscow, but the towering Yerry Mina headed in a stoppage-time equaliser before a match littered with fouls went to a shootout.
Colombian keeper David Ospina saved Jordan Henderson's effort, but Jordan Pickford turned away Carlos Bacca's attempt after Manuel Uribe hit the bar. It was left to Eric Dier to convert the decisive kick.
It was just the second time in eight occasions England have won a shootout at a major tournament, and the first time ever in the World Cup.
"We had a cruel blow on 90 minutes which we had to show incredible resilience to come back from," said a relieved Southgate, whose own penalty miss cost England in the semi-finals against Germany at Euro '96.
"It was a night when I knew we were going to get over the line. We had the belief and the resilience to get over the line." Southgate has challenged his players to write their own history after England's poor recent results at finals.
England had lost five successive shootouts before luck finally smiled on them at the compact Spartak Stadium.
"Tonight was a classic example. They don't have to conform to what's gone before," Southgate said.
"Today is a special moment for this team. Hopefully it will give belief to the generations of players that follow. In life you always have to believe what is possible and not be hindered by history or expectations."
- 'Like a scene from MASH' -
============================
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content