England completed an unbeaten march through Group L with a composed 2-0 victory over Panama, as Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane struck in the second half to send the Three Lions confidently into the FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
Despite dominating possession and creating the better chances from the opening whistle at MetLife Stadium, Thomas Tuchel’s men found Panama’s disciplined defensive setup difficult to dismantle.
Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Bellingham all tested goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera before the break, while Panama threatened through José Luis Rodríguez to remind England they could not afford complacency.
The breakthrough finally arrived after the hour mark when Bellingham reacted quickest to turn home from a Saka corner, rewarding England’s persistent pressure. Four minutes later, the midfielder turned creator, delivering an inviting cross for Kane to power home a header that not only secured victory but also saw the England captain become his country’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.
Panama briefly believed they had pulled one back late on, only for José Fajardo’s effort to be ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
The defeat ended a disappointing campaign for the Central Americans, who exited the tournament without scoring a single goal.
England’s reward for topping Group L is a Round of 32 showdown with DR Congo, while Tuchel’s side head into the knockout phase unbeaten and growing in confidence after another professional display.
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