Kane hat-trick seals 6-1 rout
● England notch up record win over feeble Panama to move into last 16
England’s young and free-flowing team banished the ghost of past failures with a record 6-1 thrashing of feeble Panama yesterday that included a hattrick by Harry Kane and eased them into the last 16. England’s biggest-ever World Cup win, featuring two penalties by Kane, then a fortuitous deflection off his heel, also guaranteed Belgium’s berth in the next round. “Not many players score a hat-trick at a World Cup, so I’m proud of it. We had fun out there too,” Kane said, calling his third “one of the luckiest goals of my life”. Ahead of their meeting on Thursday to decide who tops Group G, England and Belgium are level on points, goal difference and goals scored. Yesterday’s game at a pulsating Nizhny Novgorod stadium left the shell-shocked Central Americans out of their debut tournament with nine goals conceded. It also eliminated Tunisia. Playing from the off with an ease and trickery that contrasted with the stressed-looking England flops of recent tournaments, Gareth Southgate’s team romped into a remarkable 5-0 lead at half time. Defender John Stones headed England in front in the eighth minute from a corner, losing his marker to angle home, before captain Kane made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute with a penalty. Lingard made it 3-0 in the 36th minute with a beautiful strike from just outside the area before Stones nodded in his second. Kane scored another penalty just before half time. The in-form Tottenham striker bagged his third after a 61st minute shot by Ruben Loftus-Cheek hit his foot and bounced over despairing Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Substitute Felipe Baloy gave Panama a consolation goal in the 78th minute, sliding home a free kick that was Panama’s first goal in their debut World Cup. –