England will be aiming to book their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare when they take on Panama at the Stadion Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday. ( Time : 14:10 BST)
The Three Lions struck late to see off Tunisia in their opening clash, and will want to ensure they reach six points prior to their tricky final group clash against Belgium.
Having only lost to Germany and France in their last 20 fixtures, they are clear favourites with dabblebet to seal a top two spot with a victory.
Dele Alli is expected to be replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek in midfield after picking up a thigh strain against Tunisia, while Marcus Rashford is pushing for a start ahead of Raheem Sterling.
Roman Torres lasted the full 90 minutes against the Belgians despite a slight injury, and should be fit once again to captain an unchanged line-up.
Overview
Harry Kane’s last-minute intervention got England off to a flying start and gave them a win in their opening game of a major tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup, when they beat Paraguay. At times against Tunisia it wasn’t pretty, or perfect, but with a bit more luck, composure and favourable decisions they would have won with ease.
The Panamanians played to type in their opening game with Belgium. Los Canaleros (The Canal Men) were aggressive, robust, but ultimately hugely outclassed. The Belgians knew they had been in a game, though, and complained afterwards about some of the tackles that were flying in.
“I don’t know what people are complaining about,” captain Roman Torres said. “Football is like that – you always have to impose yourself, you have to mark out your territory.”
Their coach Hernan Dario Gomez was in charge of Colombia when they lost 2-0 to England at France 1998. His opposite number in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, Gareth Southgate, was on the bench.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- This will be the first meeting between England and Panama.
- Panama are the 38th different nation England have faced at a World Cup.
- England have only lost their first meeting against a nation at the World Cup in five of their previous 37 matches (v USA, Spain, Uruguay, Hungary and Italy).
England
- They have only won their opening two games at a World Cup twice before, in 1982 and 2006.
- England’s victory over Tunisia ended a run of four World Cup matches without a win (D1, L3).
- They are unbeaten in their last 11 internationals (W8, D3).
- Kane became the first England player to score a brace in a World Cup match since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990.
- The last England player to score more goals in the group stage of a World Cup tournament than the two Kane has already scored was Lineker in 1986 (three).
- The Three Lions’ 2-1 win over Tunisia was the first time they had scored more than once in a World Cup match since a 2-2 draw with Sweden in 2006.
Panama
- In their 3-0 loss to Belgium, Panama suffered the biggest defeat by a World Cup debutant since Ukraine lost 4-0 to Spain in 2006.
- The last side to lose by three or more goals in both of their opening two World Cup matches on their tournament debut were Greece in 1994, who lost 4-0 to Bulgaria and Argentina.
- They received more yellow cards (five) than they had shots on target (two) against the Belgians.
- Panama have lost four of their last six internationals (W1, D1) and have only won one of their last eight (D2, L5).
- They have failed to beat any of the previous 10 European sides they have faced in their history.
Prediction
Football expert at BBC says : When I was at their game against Belgium in Sochi, I saw that Panama will give everything they have got, but we also saw their limitations as a team. England should beat them easily enough and I don’t see them having too many problems, especially after they make the initial breakthrough. Prediction-England 3- 0 Panama.
Team Comparison & History
Lineups
England’s Predicted vs Panama
Panama’s Predicted Lineup vs England
Probable Playing XI
England : Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young, Marcus Rashford, and Harry Kane.
Panama : Jaime Penedo, Roman Torres, Fidel Escobar, Eric Davis, Michael Murillo, Gabriel Gomez, Anibal Godoy, Armando Cooper, Edgar Barcenas, Jose Luis Rodriguez, and Blas Perez.