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Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0 Saturday and into what appears to be a more favorable bracket for the knockout phase of the World Cup.
On a rainy afternoon before a vocal pro-England crowd that made MetLife Stadium seem like Wembley, Panama held the European power scoreless through a first half in which Kane had 10 touches, the fewest of any player.
Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick. Held in bear hug by Jorge Gutierrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year.
Five minutes later, Bellingham crossed from the left flank and Kane outjumped Andres Andrade to head the ball in for his 82nd international goal. Kane became England’s record World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.
“Our first job achieved,” Bellingham said. “Just a good combination of play. To give it to Harry again, who just continues to raise his level, is incredible.”
Wearing red jerseys in a tournament for the first time since beating Sweden in a 2018 World Cup quarterfinal, England finished the group with two wins and a draw for seven points. The English play their Round of 32 match Wednesday in Atlanta, likely against Senegal or Congo. The team that advances faces Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico City.
“They have great players. They are worth millions and millions,” Panama defender Jose Cordoba. “We’re talking about English football, which is much more developed than in our country and there’s a huge distance.”
If the Three Lions had dropped to second, they probably would have faced Colombia or Portugal, with the winner meeting Spain, Austria or Algeria.
“We did what was needed. It was what we expected, a tough match against a physical opponent,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “The bigger the games get, the bigger we will get.”
Panama went 0-3 for the second time and joined Iraq, Haiti, El Salvador, Canada and Mexico — all but one from the CONCACAF region — as teams that lost their first six World Cup matches. Jose Fajardo put the ball in the net for the Los Canaleros in second-half stoppage time, but was called for offside.
“We can be proud — not of the results, as no one can be proud of a defeat, but all in all I think they gave their everything.” Panama coach Thomas Christiansen said. “For the outside world, the image of Panama has been really good.”
Supporters filled the field walls with Cross of St. George flags displaying club names that included Tottenham, Watford and Wolves plus some less-celebrated ones such as Crawley Town, Bristol Rovers and Faversham Town.
England, which won its only World Cup at home in 1966, reached the knockout rounds for the seventh time in eight World Cups.
Jarell Quansah, usually a central defender, replaced right back Reece James, sidelined by a hamstring injury. Nico O’Reilly took over from Djed Spence at left back. Coach Thomas Tuchel replaced three midfielder, using Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford instead of Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played his 15th World Cup match, second among English players to Peter Shilton’s 17.
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