England 6 Panama 1
Stones 8, Kane 22(pen) Lingard 36 Stones 40, Kane 45+1(pen) Kane 62 Baloy 78
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Gareth Southgate’s system is working.
One of Southgate’s core beliefs seems to be this: If you attack and keep attacking, you’ll win corners and free-kicks. If you keep practicing your set-pieces, it will pay off.
When Trippier took our first corner on the right, England players ran sideways to open up a big hole in the middle of the box and the corner was so accurate that John Stones didn’t even have to jump. He just ran in with time to place his header from 10 yards.
England 1 Panama 0
And after that we romped to a 6-1 victory. England’s best goal came from a tidy move outside the box when Jesse Lingard played a short pass to Raheem Sterling and ran past him and got the ball back and hit a fabulous right-foot shot from just outside the D. His shot curved beautifully into the top corner. He needed that goal, big time.
I thought that was a Man City-type goal. Pep likes short passes around the edge of the box and Raheem keeps the ball moving quickly these days. He usually gives that little pass to Kane but this time he found Lingard, who knew exactly what he wanted to do.
As I watched us score goal after goal, I’m thinking: England have buried all the chances they missed against Tunisia.
Panama’s consolation came from a set-piece after England conceded a free-kick on the left flank.
We chose to defend with a very high line and when 21-year-old Gent midfielder Ricardo Avila hit a very good free-kick behind our defence, their 37-year old substitute, centreback Felipe Baloy, volleyed sweetly past Jordan Pickford.
Baloy has been their best player for more than ten years but now plays for Municipal in Guatemala. When he scored that goal, the Panama supporters started singing and continued to sing for the rest of the match.This is the first time their team has ever qualified for a World Cup.
Panama’a coach Hernan Dario Gomez said his team were frightened of England. Belgium won’t be.
And our Round of 16 opponents won’t be. Unless we beat Belgium on Thursday night.
NB. Brazil have helped us.
On holding and wrestling on set-pieces, Brazil’s Football Federation made an official complaint to FIFA. I thought we had been too British to complain about persistent fouling but heard today that England did write to FIFA and had a reply which they considered satisfactory.
So referees are now giving VAR penalties for off-the-ball grappling. Hallelujah!