And with that, I’m done. It was a fine performance, and an emphatic win. England could have done with scoring one goal less, or conceding one goal more, and thus protecting coveted second place in the group, but overall you’ve got to say it’ll do. Bye!
Some more player reaction:
What a performance today from all the boys. Well done @HKane on the hat-trick 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Time to go again v Belgium 🦁🦁🦁 pic.twitter.com/09m16RydRD
— Kieran Trippier (@trippier2) June 24, 2018
Professional performance from the lads. Congrats @HKane on the hat trick. We go again. 🏴🦁🦁🦁 pic.twitter.com/vSt73A6Ao4
— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) June 24, 2018
It’s half-time in Japan v Senegal, and it’s tied at 1-1. Anyone’s game/group/tournament.
Pele’s heard that someone’s getting a lot of attention for scoring a World Cup hat-trick, and he wants some of it for himself:
60 years ago, I scored my first and only hat-trick in a World Cup. It was against France in the semi-final of the 1958 tournament. // Há 60 anos, eu marquei o meu primeiro e único hat-trick em uma Copa do Mundo. Foi contra a França, na semi-final da Copa de 1958. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/qunzdg9p6v
— Pelé (@Pele) June 24, 2018
Here are our player ratings. There’s a 2/10 in there (not an Englishman).
Harry Kane, as official man of the match, has held a press conference. This is what he said:
About winning the golden boot:
There’s going to be a lot of talk about it but there’s a long way to go. We’ve got some of the best players in the world scoring goals, doing well. For me, it’s about the wins. And we’ve got another big game on Thursday to try and finish top. Hopefully I can score more goals and help my team.
On today’s performance:
I’m extremely proud. We’re proud of each other, the way we played, the discipline, the hard work. And we had fun out there as well, which is important. It could have been a tough game. We started well, we’ve been working hard on set pieces and they came together as well. We’ve got to enjoy this. It’s not every year that we go through after two games. We’ll enjoy it now and then focus on trying to finish on top.
On the repeated delays before his first penalty, and his fluky third:
The first penalty, I have a routine for penalties. I think I put the ball down about three times. It was about going through the same routine, picking a corner and sticking with it. The third was one of the luckiest goals of my career. As a striker sometimes you go through spells when you’re scoring, and other times it’s not so good. It’s been going my way so hopefully that will continue.
On Panama’s occasionally rough tacticis:
We knew it would be an aggressive game, they’d do everything they could to stop us. I thought the discipline was really good from us, we didn’t get involved in anything silly, we made sure the ref was aware of holding and pulling. And we got what we deserved. I’m very proud of the lads for that.
And on how he would feel to be rested for the final group game:
That’s the manager’s decision. Obviously I want to play, I want to continue my form. It’s still important that we finish top. I think we’re ahead by a yellow card. We’ve just got to go and try to win the game.
He’s also asked to choose a song for Brazilian television. He goes with One Kiss by Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa.
What you’d really like at this stage, I’d imagine, is five talking points on the England game. Well, your luck’s in.
Senegal have just gone a goal up against Japan to leap to the top of Group H, after the Japan goalkeeper, Kawashima, punched the ball straight into Sadio Mane’s knee, from where it rebounded into the net. For all that it was a little unfortunate, it was first and foremost an absolute howler.
I see that there were two Englishmen who attended today’s game as official “Fifa Legends”: Sol Campbell and 23-cap, never-played-in-a-major-tournament Wes Brown.
I’ve only just seen this, possibly the greatest thing that’s happened at the World Cup since that Zaire free kick in 1974: Panama trying to score on the counter-attack while England celebrated a goal.
Panama trying to score a goal while England players are celebrating. 😂😂😂 #ENGPAN pic.twitter.com/I32acjyWXl
— Mayes (@MayesTouabi) June 24, 2018
News just in: England scored the best goal of all time!
25 - There were 25 uninterrupted passes played by England before their 6th goal today; the longest sequence for a World Cup goal since 1966 & one more pass than Esteban Cambiasso's goal for Argentina v Serbia in 2006 (24). Fortunate.#Eng #EngPan #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/pBnHr1EEKr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 24, 2018
Now at No2:
I have statistics! England had seven shots on target in that match, and scored six goals. Panama had two shots on target, and scored one. Both conceded 13 free kicks.
Kyle Walker attempted 109 passes, and succeeded with 104. In the first half, Panama’s entire team attempted 155 passes, and succeeded with 134.
Harry Kane attempted 12 passes, succeeded with 10, and was passed to 15 times. The only players to attempt fewer passes were substitutes.
Harry Kane has been tweeting:
Professional. Clinical. Bring on Belgium and the knockout rounds. 😀 #ThreeLions #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/QXSsHNoejq
— Harry Kane (@HKane) June 24, 2018
Here are the best pictures of today’s game:
This is how Panamanians treat players who have just been thrashed 6-1. In brief, pretty well:
Perdieron 6-1. Quedaron eliminados de Rusia 2018. Y así celebra (sí, celebra) Baloy junto a su gente el primer gol de Panamá en la historia de los Mundiales. Fútbol, fuente inagotable de emociones. Hay que saber elegirlas. pic.twitter.com/zapOAyxyeE
— VarskySports (@VarskySports) June 24, 2018
As it stands, if all groups finish as they are today, one half of the draw will contain France, Brazil, England, Germany, Portugal, Russia, Nigeria (potentially Argentina) and Senegal. The other will contain Spain, Croatia, Uruguay, Mexico, Japan, Denmark, Switzerland and Belgium. England will have the benefit of knowing how all but one of the groups have concluded before they play their final game, but if they remain unchanged they must surely choose a route towards the semi-finals that would see them play Japan and the winner of Mexico v Switzerland, over Colombia and then the winner of Brazil v Germany.
This is a good picture of celebrating Englishmen:
Japan will shortly be playing Senegal, and you can follow the match either in English:
Or - get this - in Japanese!
Gareth Southgate has answered some questions:
I didn’t particularly like the performance. Well, I didn’t like the start, and I didn’t like the goal at the end, but I guess the bits in the middle were pretty good. I think we were a little bit anxious at the beginning. We played some really good stuff after 35, 40 minutes. And second half is difficult. We talked about the importance of one more goal to be top of the group, which is why the goal at the end is disappointing. But it’s really rewarding to see how well they’re playing, and how much they’re enjoying their football.
[Did he really want to be top of the group?] You don’t know but you’d rather be in control of it than not. Big moments for Jess Lingard today, of course great for the captain to get his hat-trick. And also our set plays were a real threat, which was pleasing to see.
[On his team’s discipline, in the face of some provocation] We talked about that being a challenge in this game. We said before the game, no more yellow cards. That was a key part of the second half, definitely.
[Will he change his team for the Belgium game?] We want to keep momentum, so we’ll have to have a think about the team we want to put out. There’s an opportunity as well that players that need a match, but also we want to keep winning football matches. It’s a nice decision to have.
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And Ruben Loftus-Cheek:
Really, really happy with the performance from the boys. To win 6-1 in the World Cup is fantastic. I’m delighted with that. I think we want to put on a good performance for the fans, but also for ourselves.
[On Harry Kane] For such a young captain he’s so vocal. I think everyone respects him massively, what he’s done for Tottenham and bringing it in for England.
We’re working on set pieces a lot, and to see it coming out in the games when we prepare so much for it. It’s such a big factor in games, we put in so much work and we’re glad that it keeps coming out on the pitch.
And Ashley Young:
It was very hot out there. Maybe they’re used to it more, but I think the confidence we had coming into the game showed, especially in the first half. It could have been a nearly perfect performance. It’s disappointing to concede, but takes nothing away from the performance we put in. It’s a squad game and everyone’s got to put in a performance, and I think everyone did that today.
The togetherness I’ve seen is incredible. Off the pitch everybody mixes with each other. Everybody wants the ball, nobody shies away from the ball. We’ve got to keep on doing that, keep showing our confidence and keep playing the way we have. We’ve just got to keep our feet on the ground and keep working hard in training. This could be the start of something good.
Jesse Lingard has a chat now:
I mean, it’s an amazing feeling. Even better that we won and are top of the table. I thrive in that role. Basically around the lads there’s a great team spirit at the moment. With the squad we’ve got and the confidence flowing I don’t see why [we can’t go on and win the whole thing], but at the moment we’re still learning and we’ll take it game by game. There’s a lot of positivity, so we’ll take it into the Belgium game.
This is how the ranking of teams will be decided if they finish level on points in their group:
5. The ranking of each team in each group shall be determined as follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings shall be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) greater number of points obtained in the fair play conduct of the teams based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:
– yellow card: minus 1 point
– indirect red card: minus 3 points (as a result of a second yellow card)
– direct red card: minus 4 points
– yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points
Only one of the above deductions shall be applied to a player in a single match;h) drawing of lots by the Fifa Organising Committee.
And John Stones as well:
Not something I thought I’d do at the start of the day. It’s great to get through. I remember four years ago, knowing how hard the lads had worked. This time round, playing, we wanted to do the country proud and get through to the next step and see where we can go.
I think to score my first goals for England, that was something special, especially at the World Cup. We defended so well and dominated the match, to not get a clean sheet was a bit disappointing. It’s something to take into the next game I suppose, and hopefully I can get a few more goals from set pieces.
Hello world!
Harry Kane has had a little post-match chat.
To achieve anything in life you have to believe. There’s still a lot of hard work to go. It’s a big difference. We’re a bit disappointed to concede a goal at the end. We’ll go into the [Begium] game looking to win, of course. Let’s see what happens.
Full time: England 6-1 Panama
Peep peep! England have smashed their record for the biggest World Cup win. It was 3-0; it’s now 6-1. It could have been more, but they eased up in the second half after leading 5-0 at the break. Harry Kane scored England’s first World Cup hat-trick since 1986. I have to jump straight into cricket mode, but Simon Burnton will bring you all the post-match reaction. Thanks for your company, bye.
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90 min Four minutes of added time.
89 min “Look at the link again about fair play separation,” says James Hurle. “England and Belgium start on 0 points and then earn minus points for each fair play contravention. Team with the highest score (least minuses) tops group.”
Ah yes, my mistake. That’ll teach me to sneer at Fifa!
88 min “Rob, very disappointed to see you use such incendiary language to describe the Panamanian football team,” says David. “There are plenty of English clubs that play an agricultural brand of football and have done for years on end, but words like ‘filthy’ are generally not used by journalists to describe them. Is it easier to use crass language (which unfortunately has a racial association) about a team we will never hear about again?”
I use the word ‘filthy’ all the time to describe teams who boot people up in the air. I quite like this Panama team, and I’ve always guiltily enjoyed football filth. Sorry not to be a racist.
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87 min The match is petering out. The second half has been largely uneventful, aside from those two landmarks: Kane’s hat-trick and Panama’s first World Cup goal.
84 min Both sets of fans are having a party: Panama because they have scored, England because IT’S ONLY BLOODY COMING HOME! Nothing is happening on the pitch.
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83 min Yes, fair play points will split England and Belgium if necessary, though the wording of this suggests the group winners would be the ones who collect the most yellow and red cards.
82 min I think it was Rose and Maguire who played Boloy onside. Meanwhile, Sterling whistles a shot just wide from 20 yards. That was a fine effort.
80 min That goal means England and Belgium are now dead level: F8 A2. So if they draw, I think they will be split on the Fair Play table.
What a charming moment this is. Baloy, the 37-year-old substitute, runs on to Avila’s outswinging free-kick and stretches to slam a terrific half-volley past Pickford from 12 yards. It was poor defending from England, with some defenders pushing out and others playing everyone onside, but few would begrudge filthy, incompetent Panama such a joyous moment.
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GOAL! England 6-1 Panama (Baloy 78)
Panama have scored their first World Cup goal!
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76 min Rose gives away a needless corner – and Roman Torres misses a great chance from it. The corner was flicked on beautifully at the near post and landed perfectly for Torres, who slammed it wide on the run from six yards. Panama are still gamely pursuing their first World Cup goal, despite the scoreline.
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74 min “Hi Rob,” says Lizz Poulter. “I love football (and can be a little naïve) so I really can’t bear the idea that a team (my team, in this case) would play for a draw or a loss. Apart from it being against the spirit of the game, isn’t it better for team morale to win wherever possible? As I said, I have been accused of being Pollyanna-ish and I do wear my heart on my sleeve, but come on - we can take Germany, Brazil or anyone on our day, let’s not be defeatist already.”
I’m probably getting ahead of myself. Germany could still win their group, which would change everything. And you are right about the benefits to morale of beating Belgium, even in what is likely to be a reserve match. Also, the natural English tendency to worry about the future doesn’t really fit this intrepid team. Let them have a bit of fun and see where it takes them.
73 min A free-kick on the left leads to a game of head tennis, until eventually Henderson sizzles an acrobatic volley just wide from the edge of the area.
72 min This game is drifting to sleep. Murillo is booked for a foul on Sterling.
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70 min England bring on Danny Rose for Kieran Trippier, who appears to have a slight knock. Ashley Young will move to right wing-back.
69 min Panama make two changes: Barcenas and Gomez are replaced by Arroyo and Baloy.
66 min Panama almost get their first World Cup goal! The impressive Barcenas played a fine through pass to the marauding Murillo, whose attempted dink was well blocked by the hitherto unemployed Pickford.
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65 min “I note you’d rather England play Mexico further down the line,” says Rob Marriott. “Isn’t that a bit like the presumptuousness that did for England two years ago? Mexico have been magnificent.”
They have, and that’s why last night I impetuously bought their kit to wear during five-a-side, but you’d still rather play them than Brazil or Germany.
64 min A double change for England: Vardy and Delph replace Kane, the leading goalscorer at this tournament with five, and the superb Lingard.
It was a fluke goal but he won’t care. Loftus-Cheek’s long-range shot hit the unsighted Kane and completely wrongfooted Penedo. VAR checked for offside but he was played onside by the heel of Torres.
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GOAL! England 6-0 Panama (Kane 63) - HARRY KANE HAT-TRICK!
Harry Kane becomes the first England player since Gary Lineker to score a World Cup hat-trick!
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59 min Sterling and Loftus-Cheek have not had great games. Nor, in truth, has Kane, though that won’t be a problem if he scores twice every game. Lingard has been the only outstanding attacking player. What a funny game it has been.
58 min “The mind boggles how Panama managed to get to this World Cup, unless the occasion has got to them and they’ve bottled it,” says Dave Tole. “But really, imagine being in their group and not finishing above this rabble?”
57 min The second half has been a bit like a friendly, in stark contrast to the unfriendly before half-time.
55 min “Hey Rob,” says Andy Morton, “how come neither you nor the BBC mentioning that one more goal and England ahead of Belgium on goal difference ? That could matter, no?”
It’s a mediawide conspiracy to ensure goal difference doesn’t get too big-headed about its influence on the World Cup. But yes, you’re right. I actually think it would be better for England to finish below Belgium, because it could be the difference between playing Mexico or Switzerland in the quarter-finals rather than Brazil or Germany.
54 min Loftus-Cheek wins a corner for England, who have already scored four from them in this tournament if you include Kane’s second penalty. Trippier’s outswinger is booted away by Torres.
53 min There has been a notable drop in intensity from England, which is fair enough in this heat.
52 min It’s just dawned on me that John Stones is on a World Cup hat-trick.
51 min It’s been a slow, low-key start to the second half from both sides. Panama win their first corner of the game, which is flicked across goal and headed clear by Walker.
48 min “You,” says ,” says Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby, “are so offensive.”
Crikey. I love this job.
47 min It’ll be interesting to see how England play the second half. The logical thing is to preserve energy, but they will never have another chance to win 10-0 in a World Cup game.
46 min Peep peep! Panama begin the second half.
“’Panama are filthy and incompetent,’” says Kevin O’Connor, quoting my half-time entry. “Let’s turn down our Trump-talk-O-meter shall we Rob.”
What should I have said? ‘Panama are angelic and unlucky to be 5-0 down’?
“When’s the England game on, Rob?” says Guy Hornsby. “It’s certainly nice to see Brazil really shifting through the gears finally.”
“Here’s a question for you Rob,” says Chris Caulfield. “Why do refs invariably add on less time at the end of the first half than the second? The ref added on two minutes there after no end of naughtiness, injuries, dissent and convoluted celebrations. Lingard was down for two minutes after the first attack.”
I have no idea. You are right though – there could have been seven or eight minutes of added time.
“Just so you know, Panama’s tactics are standard in Concacaf,” says Kevin Smith. “The difference is the referees in Concacaf accept it. Particularly in favour of the home team. Then add in more diving, simulation, embellishment, time wasting, etc. Concacaf is, generally, a disgrace and I would love to see VAR brought to World Cup qualifying to clean up some of the bull.”
They really are a throwback to a golden age of football filth.
That was slightly surreal. Panama are filthy and incompetent but a 5-0 scoreline brooks no argument. England were superb on set pieces, while Jesse Lingard scored a beautiful third goal.
Half time: England 5-0 Panama
Peep peep!
45+2 min Cooper elbows Maguire in the face and is fairly lucky not to be sent off. Another triumph for VAR.
45+2 min This is going to sound ridiculous... but England arguably played better in the first half against Tunisia. Who cares, they’re 5-0 up!
GOAL! England 5-0 Panama (Kane 45+1 pen)
England have scored five goals in a World Cup game for the first time in their history - and it’s not even half time! Kane gets his fourth of the tournament with an identical penalty to the first, hit brutally into the left side of the net. He is now the joint top scorer in the tournament.
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44 min Escobar is booked for dissent. This is mayhem.
PENALTY TO ENGLAND!
43 min Finally a bit of wrestling at a corner is punished. Goday was dragging Kane all over the area, a preposterous piece of defending, and the referee gave a penalty.
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42 min Another long-range curler from Lingard is blocked on the edge of the area. If England win 6-0 or better they will go above Belgium. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, because the group winners are likely to go into a much tougher half of the draw.
The alternative view is that it doesn’t matter whether it’s 4-0, 6-0 or 10-0, BECAUSE IT’S ONLY BLOODY WELL COMING HOME!
41 min There was a long VAR check, possibly for offside against Sterling, but the goal stands.
It’s yet another goal from a set-piece. It was a lovely training-ground routine: Trippier played it short to Henderson, who clipped it first time beyind the far post. Kane headed it back across the face of goal to Sterling, whose close-range header was superbly saved by Penedo. It rebounded to Stones, who headed gleefully into the roof of the net,
GOAL! England 4-0 Panama (Stones 40)
England are running riot!
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38 min This scoreline equals England’s biggest win at the World Cup, a record they will break before the final whistle.
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Lingard shuffled infield from the left and played a short pass to Sterling on the edge of the area. He played a nice return ball that allowed Lingard, who never stops moving, to run onto the ball and curl a majestic shot into the far top corner from 20 yards.
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GOAL! England 3-0 Panama (Lingard 36)
This is a gorgeous goal from the best player on the pitch.
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33 min GO ON ‘ARRY.
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31 min Sterling pleads with the referee for a bit of humanity after yet another foul. Trippier drives the resulting free-kick beyond the far post towards Maguire, who heads onto the roof of the net. It was a decent chance but he couldn’t quite get around the ball to head it back across the face.
30 min “I am worried for the safety of the England players,” says JR in Illinois. “Panama are next level dirty, cheating butchers. At least one of them is certainly going but an England player might retaliate and go too. “Even right there on a nothing play in the 25th minute Murillo jacked Lingard in the back of the head after the ball was already out of play. Jeez.”
29 min A long spell of possession for Panama, who suddenly quicken things up on the edge of the area. It’s moved across to Rodriguez in space on the left, but his sprays a poor cross out for a goalkick.
27 min England haven’t been as impressive as in the first half hour against Tunisia, though much of it is down to the fact it has been so stop-start. And they are 2-0 up, so there is very little to moan about.
26 min Apparently Loftus-Cheek was booked during one of the melees either side of the Kane penalty.
25 min Lingard isn’t the greatest player technically but his movement is world-class. It led to the second goal, and he has been England’s most prominent attacker so far.
24 min “Did you see that?” says Matt Dony. “He must have a foot like a traction engine.”
23 min Panama’s heads have gone. They tried to pick a fight on the edge of the area before the penalty was taken, then surrounded the referee after it. I’ll be very surprised if they don’t have at least one player sent off.
GOAL! England 2-0 Panama (Kane 22 pen)
Harry Kane has done absolutely nothing in this tournament - apart from score three goals. This is a brilliant penalty, belaboured into the top left corner at the speed of light.
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PENALTY TO ENGLAND!
20 min Lingard makes a lovely run through on goal and is pushed over from behind by Escobar. It’s a fair decision; it was a really clumsy challenge from Escobar.
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18 min There was actually a sly foul by Young in the build-up to Stones’s goal. He blocked Murillo, who was marking Stones, which meant Stones had a free run at the ball.
16 min Barcenas looks Panama’s best player by a distance. He receives the ball 25 yards from goal, moves it onto his left foot and shapes a nice curler that drifts a few yards wide of the far post. Panama are having a bit of joy against the left-sided pair of Young and Maguire, an area that could be a problem for England against better opposition.
14 min “Hi from the Bahamas,” says Simon Frank. “I’m stuck on the beach with the wife and kids this morning, thank you for the sympathy. Hoping to leverage this great charity for later in the tournament. But how far are England gonna get?”
The semi-finals – but only if they are smart enough to throw the Belgium game so that they end up in the easier half of the draw.
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12 min For all their impressive football under Gareth Southgate, England have now scored three goals from corners. I bet Sam Allardyce doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
11 min “If you’re wondering why several of the Panama squad have English surnames, it’s likely that their ancestors came from Barbados or Jamaica to work on the Panama Canal,” writes Nick Foster, author of this intriguing book. “They brought the game of cricket with them, and Panama still has a few (now overgrown) cricket pitches. As an England supporter, I’m happy to say that I hardly ever saw anyone play football in Panama.”
10 min Cooper is booked for a nasty and absurdly late hack at Lingard.
9 min That was a lovely finish from Stones. Had he not scored, England would have had another good shout for a penalty because of Gomez’s manhandling of Maguire.
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It took an age for the corner to be taken, because Gomez was wrestling Maguire off the ball. Eventually Trippier swung it out towards the penalty area, where the scandalously unmarked Stones arrived late to plant a terrific downward header past Penedo.
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GOAL! England 1-0 Panama (Stones 8)
England have scored another set-piece goal!
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5 min A good chance for Panama! They won the ball near the halfway line and broke forward at pace. Eventually the ball came to Barcenas, who slid a nice pass across the face of the area to find the unmarked Godoy. He slashes a nervous first-time shot miles wide.
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5 min “It’s always fascinating listening to the Golden Generation™ talk about their time in the England squad, as Rio and Lampard have been doing during the buildup,” says Matt Loten. “It’s genuinely sad to hear how a squad as talented as any in the world at its peak was undermined by shambolic management, inter-club cliques, and hubris. You could almost hear the disdain dripping from both Ferdinand and Lampard’s words when talking about Sven’s management style and tactics.”
Yes, it’s an interesting subject, and Lampard in particular is excellent. Sometimes I think it’s a bit too easy to blame Sven, Keegan or whoever, though I did feel at the time that Sven was the wrong manager for that particular group of players.
4 min Barcenas booms a shot miles over the bar from 30 yards.
3 min After being assessed for a good two minutes by the England physio, Lingard looks set to continue.
2 min “Is there any point in the rest of us even playing now?” says Shaun Wilkinson. “The future is decided - Germany will scrape out of the group on goal difference after a last-minute deflected goal from Thomas Müller’s knee, win every knock-out game on penalties until they get to the final, and then beat/lose to Portugal in the worst game in the history of all sport. As an Englishman living in Cologne with a Mexican wife, I am definitely not bitter.”
Brazil v Germany in the last 16 is going to be off the scale.
1 min A promising early break down the right from Loftus-Cheek, who gets into the box and cuts the ball back sharply to Lingard on the edge of the area. His touch is poor and Panama are able to clear. Moments later, Gomez slams an elbow into Lingard’s face as they jump for a loose ball. Lingard looks pretty groggy.
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1 min Peep peep! England, in white, get the match under way. Panama are in red. It’s boiling.
“Mrs Dony is travelling back along the M4, having watched Taylor Swift last night,” begins professional Wales fan Matt Dony. “Master Dony is at his friend’s house, having had a sleepover last night. The upshot is, the world has been my oyster this weekend. I could have done absolutely anything, and so naturally I spent the entirety of yesterday watching football. I love the World Cup! I have to break away from the festivities today to pick them both up, annoyingly, so I’m hoping for a lightning quick start from England, so I don’t miss too much excitement in the second half. I have no emotional attachment to the team, but they’re likeable, very capable, and to be fair, the first half performance against Tunisia was (finishing aside) very impressive. I’m looking forward to it.”
The Panama anthem is magnificent, an event in itself. A couple of the players are on the verge of tears.
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The players emerge from the tunnel. It’s seriously hot out there, in excess of 30 degrees. Gareth Southgate and his players belt out the national anthem, despite the off-putting presence of cameras approximately 0.01 centimetres from their face.
Gareth Southgate speaks! “We think we will have the vast majority of the play, which is good in this heat, but we have to move the ball quickly and use width intelligently. The prize for today is to qualify with a game to spare but we have to concentrate on our performance. We need to be patient. We’ve seen the importance of substitutions throughout the tournament and I’m sure there will be changes later in the game.”
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Pre-match pluggery
Who can get the most song titles into their interviews? 🎶
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) June 8, 2018
The 1998 England #WorldCup squad was different to any previous group 🏴
📖 Check out our new nostalgic long read by Rob Smyth: https://t.co/jLqNpyEREK pic.twitter.com/dVvfNXVA8C
“I’m particularly pleased to see Loftus-Cheek’s name on the team sheet as a starter in a World Cup match given that he has had to take some hard knocks over his short career, including rejection by Mourinho,” says Michael Cosgrove. “But really came into his own when he moved to Selhurst Park, where has made all kinds of progress. The lad fully deserves this chance and I hope he goes on to have an excellent World Cup.”
He has so much going for him, though I’m not sure he has yet realised his potential in more ways than one.
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In the Grub World Cup, this match is Tamal de Olla versus Beans on Toast. What are you eating?
Want to know more about Panama? If only somebody had lovingly prepared a bite-size guide to to every single player at the World Cup.
A bit more reading Here’s Thomas Hitzlsperger on the potential impact on Toni Kroos’s glorious winner against Sweden last night.
Gareth Southgate has encouraged his team to make their own history, and if they start well today they could break the record for England’s biggest win at a World Cup. The current record is 3-0, against Poland and Paraguay in 1986 and Denmark in 2002.
This, like everything else Paul Doyle writes, is very good
An email!
“Methinks that Trent Alexander-Arnold should start instead of Trippier who didn’t exactly impress against Tunisia,” says Mike Mackenzie. “TAA has excelled against much tougher teams and individuals than Panama offers.”
Really? I thought Trippier was England’s best player. I suspect he’ll make a few changes against Belgium if they win this game, particularly with the players on a yellow card.
If you’re in London and have no friends, this could be for you. But seriously folks, this looks like a blissful way to experience the World Cup. I wish they’d open a pop-up shop in Orkney.
England v Panama live at the BOX - 4-6 Ram place, London E9 6LT
— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) June 24, 2018
There's still space for walk-ins for all today's games so come down and you can also enjoy 20% off all items (in store only) pic.twitter.com/nDopWuy4VU
Team news
Raheem Sterling starts for England, which makes the non-story of Steve Holland’s notes look even more desperate. The only change from the 2-1 win over Tunisia is Rufus Creek for the injured Dele Alli. Panama are unchanged from the team that was plugged 3-0 by Belgium.
England (3-3-2-1-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Henderson, Young; Loftus-Cheek, Lingard; Sterling; Kane.
Panama (4-5-1) Penedo; Murillo, R Torres, Escobar, Davis; Barcenas, Cooper, Gomez, Godoy, J Rodriguez; Perez.
Referee Ghead Grisha (Egypt)
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Preamble
England have never really enjoyed the group stages of a major tournament. Even when they qualify for the knockout stages, it’s often a torment that involves them hanging on for dear life in the final group game against a team ranked 478th in the world. It’s no fun for anyone - least of all poor old Nana, trembling her way through the dying minutes with four lit Marlboros in one hand and a pint of Valium Substitute in the other. And she doesn’t even like football.
Gareth Southgate’s team have the chance to do things differently today, and spare Nana’s arteries. If they beat Panama, they will qualify for the second round with a game to spare. England have only ever done that twice at a World Cup or European Championship, in 1982 and 2006.
England’s World Cup campaign has been so full of calm and charm that you wonder what the catch is. A defeat to Panama would be one hell of a catch, but even in a post-Iceland world it’s hard to see that happening. England’s biggest fear might be losing players to injury, such was the, ahem, decisive nature of Panama’s tackling in their first game against Belgium.
Kick off is at 1pm BST, 3pm in the oppressive heat of Nizhny Novgorod.
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