Panama vs England - prediction, team news, lineups

As their World Cup 2026 credentials inevitably look further questions, England reason Group L against 2018 foes Panama astatine the MetLife Stadium connected Saturday evening.

The Three Lions volition spell done to the past 32 arsenic radical winners with a triumph - truthful agelong arsenic Ghana bash not bushed Croatia by a borderline of 2 goals oregon much - portion their unfancied foes person been condemned to an aboriginal exit.

Match preview

Forget second-season syndrome, second-game syndrome is the existent horror; successful each of their past 4 large tournaments, England person present been forced to settee for conscionable 1 constituent connected matchday two, aft failing to interruption down the astir disciplined of defences against Ghana.

Not lone did England acceptable an unwanted World Cup grounds successful that 0-0 gully - registering a higher possession fig (78.8%) without scoring than immoderate different squad successful immoderate different Mundial lucifer - Thomas Tuchel's men could person travel distant empty-handed, lone for the VAR to bizarrely not intervene erstwhile Ezri Konsa took retired Prince Kwabena Adu wrong the country successful the 2nd half.

Nevertheless, acknowledgment to their engrossing 4-2 occurrence implicit Croatia connected matchday one, England caput into matchday 3 knowing that a gully volition beryllium capable to spot them done to the knockout rounds; they beryllium wide of Ghana connected extremity quality and 1 constituent amended disconnected than Croatia.

Furthermore, lone 3 World Cup champions person ever taken location the trophy aft winning each 3 of their opening radical games - Brazil 1970, France 1998 and Brazil 2002; the 1966 luminaries dropped points against Uruguay archetypal up. 

However, the Three Lions person each inducement to advancement successful apical spot, arsenic finishing 2nd could gain Tuchel's broadside a last-32 conflict with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, portion archetypal guarantees a third-placed hostile and perchance co-hosts Mexico successful the past 16.

Panama person nary specified permutations to crunch the numbers over, arsenic Thomas Christiansen's men person already had their World Cup dreams dashed owing to consecutive defeats - albeit competitory defeats - to Ghana and Croatia.

Like the Black Stars, Croatia could lone onslaught erstwhile against the Panamanians done substitute Ante Budimir, but the striker's solitary effort was yet the slayer stroke arsenic Christiansen's deficiency of elite attacking endowment proved fatal.

With nary accidental of catching England oregon Ghana - some 4 points wide - oregon Croatia, harmless acknowledgment to their head-to-head record, Panama person thing but pridefulness to play for, arsenic their achy hunt for a archetypal World Cup constituent continues.

Eliminated aboriginal with 3 losses connected the committee successful 2018, the Canal Men person scored conscionable 2 goals and conceded 13 crossed each of their World Cup Finals matches truthful far, and they had antecedently scored successful 11 of their 12 games starring up to the tourney earlier their back-to-back blanks successful Group L.

The lone erstwhile head-to-head betwixt Panama and England ended successful a memorable 6-1 triumph for the Three Lions astatine the 2018 World Cup, making it casual to spot wherefore Tuchel's men person been instilled arsenic dense favourites connected the best betting sites for the World Cup.

Panama World Cup form:

Panama signifier (all competitions):

England World Cup form:

England signifier (all competitions):

Team News

England came retired of their clash with Ghana a small worse for wear, arsenic Reece James complained of hamstring discomfort, portion Declan Rice - who has been acold from 100% for the full tourney - is being cautiously managed owed to a knock.

Tuchel should instrumentality nary risks with the injury-plagued James successful particular, truthful expect Djed Spence to power flanks, opening the doorway for Nico O'Reilly to instrumentality to the starting broadside astatine left-back.

Kobbie Mainoo has besides been tipped to displace Rice if necessary, portion questions stay implicit whether Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford volition beryllium fixed the all-clear to commencement connected Saturday, but neither Anthony Gordon nor Noni Madueke justified their starting roles successful midweek.

On Panama's end, the Canal Men person been hamstrung passim the tourney by Adalberto Carrasquilla's adductor injury, and a deficiency of lucifer fittingness for skipper and all-time starring appearance-maker Anibal Godoy, who has played conscionable 1 infinitesimal truthful far.

Carrasquilla suffered a setback successful his betterment conscionable earlier Panama's nonaccomplishment to Croatia, truthful it would beryllium a astonishment to spot the midfielder instrumentality for the last radical game, particularly 1 with thing astatine stake.

The shackles tin travel disconnected for the Canal Men, but Christiansen should inactive acceptable his broadside up successful a pragmatic 5-4-1, successful which erstwhile Marseille right-back Amir Murillo is 1 of the much recognisable names for European shot fans.

Panama imaginable starting lineup:

Mosquera; Murillo, Cordoba, Ramos, Andrade, Blackman; Martinez, Barcenas, Harvey, Rodriguez; Fajardo

England imaginable starting lineup:

Pickford; Spence, Guehi, Konsa, O'Reilly; Mainoo, Anderson; Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

We say: Panama 0-2 England

Tuchel could lone hail 1 of the "best organised antiaircraft performances" helium had ever seen aft England 0-0 Ghana, and Panama person astir replicated the Black Stars' resoluteness successful their opening 2 games.

However, Christiansen's men should not occupation the England backline for a second, and portion a 6-1 2018 repetition is surely disconnected the cards, England should find ways to interruption down this debased artifact and corroborate a first-placed finish.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.