After Belgium’s emphatic 5-2 win over Tunisia last night, it’s time for England to show their class and get another win under their belt in the 2018 World Cup.
Panama did quite well to contain Belgium for the first 45 minutes in their tournament opener but had a meltdown in the last 45. Similar to Belgium, England, too, will come at them with everything they’ve got. Let’s see if they do a little better this time around and keep Harry Kane’s men in check.
Here are the three things to look forward to ahead of kick-off.
3. Look out for Panama’s Throw Ins
On paper, this look like a fairly one-sided affair. But dig a little deeper and it won’t be too difficult to see why Gareth Southgate would be a little worried about their opponents.
England must avoid conceding throw-ins in dangerous positions as that will inevitably bring Adolfo Machado into play. The Three Lions were caught out by a long Icelandic throw-in in the 2016 European Championship and would try their best not to repeat the same mistake again.
2. England Will Look to Flex Their Muscles
England registered a rather narrow 2-1 win over Tunisia in their tournament opener, raising some questions about their pedigree. For Southgate and his boys, today will be about proving a point.
Southgate is one of the boldest English managers in recent history, and more often than not, his boldness pays off in spectacular style. He brought in Marcus Rashford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as England found themselves struggling against Tunisia. And both the youngsters did fantastically well to earn a place in the starting XI.
The players need to step up if they are to beat the overwhelming odds and Southgate will keep a close eye on the players who make every minute count.
1. England for the Win
Panama, like Tunisia, will look to test England’s patience. They will look to drop deep and hit on the break. England, who have been quite resolute at the back, will have to play out from the back and keep looking for that one decisive little chance.
Gareth Southgate’s men have shown plenty of patience and grit throughout the qualifiers and you wouldn’t want to bet against them to do the same this afternoon as well. Harry Kane will once again have to lead the charge, with goals and with character. Let’s see where he stands in the Golden Boot race after today’s fixture.
We predict a comfortable 2-0 win for The Three Lions.