England defeated Panama 2-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, winning Group L and advancing to the Round of 32. Thomas Tuchel’s squad secured the top seed after a scoreless first half heavily impacted by rainy conditions.
Harry Kane broke a long-standing national scoring tie in the 67th minute. He headed in a cross from Jude Bellingham to record his 11th career FIFA World Cup goal, surpassing Gary Lineker’s benchmark of 10 goals set in the 1990s. The strike was Kane’s 82nd overall international goal.
The first 45 minutes saw England struggle to find an attacking rhythm. The weather limited Kane to just 10 touches before halftime. The momentum shifted when Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, finishing a near-post run off a corner kick delivered by Bukayo Saka. Bellingham then provided the assist for Kane’s record-breaking header five minutes later.
The win gives England seven points in group play. They will travel to Atlanta for the knockout stage, avoiding a more difficult bracket path. In the simultaneous Group L match, Croatia defeated Ghana 2-1 to secure second place, while Panama finished the tournament winless.