Panama 0-2 England: How Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane's five-minute burst silenced Three Lions' low-block critics

The biggest question astir England coming into their last Group L crippled was not truly whether they would bushed already-eliminated Panama, but if they could yet crook power of matches into goals against a broadside blessed to beryllium in.

Both questions were answered astatine MetLife Stadium, wherever Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane struck 5 minutes isolated successful the 2nd fractional to seal a 2-0 win and corroborate the Three Lions arsenic radical winners.

It had been a acquainted vexation gathering up to this, particularly aft the goalless gully with Ghana, wherever England posted a World Cup grounds 78.8% possession and inactive could not score.

Panama 0-2 England: What conscionable happened?

Tuchel made 5 changes from the Ghana game, bringing successful Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers, Jarell Quansah and Nico O’Reilly, with Declan Rice and the injured Reece James among those rested.

The archetypal fractional ne'er truly escaped the script, with Panama sitting deep, staying compact, and making England enactment for each gait without ever truly opening the crippled up.

When the breakthrough yet came, it felt much similar it had to travel from prime alternatively than pressure, and Bellingham provided it successful the 62nd minute.

Five minutes later, Kane was successful the close spot again to marque it 2-0, and from determination England hardly had to get retired of 2nd cogwheel to spot it home.

Panama 0-2 England: The large talking point

Saturday's brushwood with Panama was different reminder of a occupation England conscionable cannot look to get distant from astatine tournaments erstwhile teams beryllium heavy and garbage to travel retired to play.

Tuchel tried to alteration the representation with Saka and Rashford, and it did consciousness a spot sharper successful wide areas compared to the Ghana match.

But successful the end, it was inactive the acquainted names doing the damage, with Bellingham finishing from a Saka country and Kane erstwhile again showing that instinct wrong the box.

England had gone 152 minutes of unfastened play without a extremity earlier this, truthful the timing of those 2 strikes mattered conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic the show itself.

Panama 0-2 England: The bigger picture

England decorativeness the radical signifier with 2 wins and a draw, topping Group L with 7 points and a affirmative extremity difference.

On paper, it looks comfy enough, but the performances person swung betwixt coagulated power and existent vexation successful attack.

Tuchel’s 5 changes present felt similar helium was already reasoning ahead, managing minutes and keeping cardinal players caller alternatively than chasing a cleanable performance.

Kane is up to 3 goals for the tournament, portion Bellingham’s archetypal World Cup extremity feels similar the commencement of thing alternatively than a one-off.

England person done the occupation successful the group, adjacent if determination is simply a consciousness they person not rather deed apical cogwheel yet.

Panama 0-2 England: The cardinal stat

England's caller (outright) apical scorer successful men's FIFA World Cup history: Harry Kane. pic.twitter.com/J9k41rs6qH

Kane’s extremity was his 3rd of the tourney and his 11th astatine World Cup finals, taking him past Gary Lineker arsenic England’s all-time starring scorer successful the competition.

Lineker’s grounds of 10 had stood since 1990, but the Bayern Munich striker has present moved beyond it successful less appearances crossed 3 World Cups.

Kane archetypal announced himself connected this signifier successful 2018 with six goals, and helium has kept adding to it ever since.

Panama 0-2 England: What happens next?

England’s triumph confirms them arsenic Group L winners and sets up a Round of 32 necktie against 1 of the champion third-placed teams; their nonstop hostile volition beryllium decided erstwhile the remaining radical matches are completed.

Tuchel present gets a spot of breathing abstraction to reset his side, with the existent trial coming erstwhile knockout shot begins and margins get a batch thinner.