England can exploit conservative and slow Panama with the pace of Sterling

Gomez’s ageing side slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Norway, writes Sam Dean in Oslo

As might perhaps be expected, Panama are a side overflowing with emotion. World Cup qualification meant so much to the country that a national holiday was called.

They run, they shout and they career into tackles like dodgems. England can expect to wake up on June 25, the day after their groupstage game, with more than a few bruises forming on their shins.

In this uninspiring 1-0 defeat last night by Norway, who did not qualify, Hernan Gomez’s side lined up in a conservative 4-1-4-1 formation which lacked positivity or attacking spark until deep in the second half. There is little to fear, and plenty of reasons for English optimism.

The most encouraging moments were to be found in the opening three minutes. Panama committed their first foul in the first minute, their second foul in the second, and conceded the opening goal directly from a goal-kick, which was allowed to bounce all the way into the penalty area, in the third minute. The most recognisable figure is Roman Torres, the enormous centrehalf who scored the dramatic goal which sealed their place in Russia. He is their captain, the defensive leader and the member of the backline who has the most freedom to move the ball forward.

Torres is not, though, anywhere near the calibre of the defenders Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy usually face in the Premier League. Slow to turn and slow to pass, he struggled whenever he was chuntering towards his own goal and was totally lost when Joshua King, of Bournemouth, ambled downfield to score the early winner here.

Armando Cooper provides a diminutive but dynamic presence in midfield and, on the wings, Edgar Yoel Barcenas and Jose Luis Rodriguez are two of the younger, faster members of the World Cup’s oldest squad. They provide pace and direct running but, on this evidence, not much quality at the end of it. Both were substituted at half-time. When they were given time to organise themselves, Panama had a clear defensive structure which was aggressively reinforced by the irascible midfielder Gabriel Gomez.

Their passing game, although hardly dangerous, did become more expansive in the second half, but it took until the 70th minute for Gomez’s side to enjoy a period of sustained possession against a poor Norway team. Watch out for Fidel Escobar, the second centre-back, who nearly ripped the Norway goalkeeper’s hands apart with a bullet of a free-kick in the first half. There will be few players in Russia capable of winning an arm wrestle with Torres, but most would back themselves in a race. A lack of speed appears an obvious area for Raheem Sterling to target.

These opponents are ripe for a thrashing if Southgate’s attackers slam their feet to the pedal.