England v Panama - Harry Kane scores hat-trick as England hit Panama for six to secure World Cup knock-out - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Match 30

It was Saturday afternoon on the Volga River when Panama’s coach, Hernan Dario Gomez, offered a scary thought — the next day’s World Cup match against England might prove even more lopsided than his team’s 3-0 loss to Belgium in its first game.A day later, Panama made its manager look like a seer. Behind three goals from captain Harry Kane, England obliterated Panama, 6-1, on a steamy afternoon here, qualifying for the knockout round with a win that may have said more about how poor an opponent the Three Lions faced rather than how formidable they might actually be as this tournament rolls on.

And yet, there is not a lot more that anyone could have asked of England through its first two matches in Russia, a 2-1 win over Tunisia when the team was sharp everywhere except in front of the opposing goal and Sunday’s defenestration of Los Canaleros that will fill England with confidence as it confronts the World Cup crucible.

“I know how many people were watching at home on a Sunday afternoon,” England’s coach, Gareth Southgate, said when it was over. “Lovely that we could give them so many goals to enjoy.”

Maybe the most frightening thing for England fans, who have supposedly learned to lower their World Cup expectations after so many disappointments, is actually true. Maybe England is really, really good.

England completed 92 percent of its passes and had 57 percent of the possession, scoring six goals on 12 shots. Maybe England is capable of playing deep in this tournament, and this time making more penalty kicks than Germany or Portugal or whatever other historical nemesis or upstart it faces.

Gomez, who spent most of the day standing in the coach’s box with his arms folded, tried to shed a sliver of positive light on the afternoon. “The second half was 1-1,” he said.

England’s fans brought drums and a horn section that included a tuba and enough songs and chants to last all afternoon. Good thing, because the destruction began early, with defender John Stones getting so free for a header on a corner kick in the 8th minute that he looked more stunned than joyous when the ball sailed into the back of the net. Stones also headed in England’s fourth goal in the 40th minute, knocking in the rebound of a Jaime Penedo save.

Kane netted one of the softer hat tricks in World Cup history. He banged in two first-half penalty kicks and unwittingly got his heel in the way of Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s shot from 20 yards in the 62d minute. The ball skittered past a helpless Penedo and into the Panama net.

SOURCE:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/24/england-vs-panama-world-cup-2018-live-score-latest-updates/
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/24/sports/world-cup/england-vs-panama.html