England enter World Cup lion’s den as Mexico host them at Azteca fortress

England must confront a fanatical home crowd and the weight of World Cup history when they enter the lion’s den of Mexico’s Azteca Stadium for one of the ties of the tournament on Sunday.

A place in the quarter-finals is at stake as the confident co-hosts eye their shot at glory against the Three Lions, who have so far failed to live up to their billing as one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Harry Kane rescued England from what would have been one of their worst ever World Cup defeats to edge past DR Congo in the last 32, the captain scoring twice in the final 15 minutes in Atlanta to secure a nervy 2-1 win and keep the dream of ending a 60-year wait to win a major tournament alive.

Mexico, by contrast, are flying. El Tri have won all four games on home soil, without even conceding a goal.

A 2-0 victory over Ecuador secured their first knockout win at the World Cup for 40 years and more history beckons if England can be slayed in front of an expectant home crowd.

Mexico have reached the World Cup quarter-finals twice, both times when they previously hosted the tournament in 1970 and 1986, but have never progressed beyond the last eight.