Team-sheet gaffe is no help to me, says coach Gomez

England ‘better than us’ so line-up leak is irrelevant Panama promise to fight to deny star players space

Panama’s manager has rejected the suggestion that he has garnered any advantage from Steve Holland’s gaffe in leaking England’s line-up for their Group G clash against the Three Lions today, saying he had to be prepared for any eventuality.

Hernan Dario Gomez said: “It doesn’t give me or afford me any advantage. Each and every coach needs to make sure they are 100 per cent prepared and ready regardless of the opponent, that players work well, know their football, keep up the good work, and from there go for the win.”

Notes photographed in assistant manager Holland’s hand on Thursday suggested that Marcus Rashford will start ahead of Raheem Sterling, and that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will take the place of injured Dele Alli. But Gomez said: “It doesn’t matter who plays because the other one is just as good.”

Panama qualified to play in their first World Cup after they beat Costa Rica and the United States lost to Trinidad and Tobago. Gomez’s squad are the oldest at the finals, and after their 3-0 defeat by Belgium, know their tournament will be over if England win.

Midfielder Edgar Barcenas, who was seen in tears during a talk last week with the fierce Gomez, admitted the team suffered some “stage fright” against the Belgians, but stressed they would “try to enjoy things” in Nizhny Novgorod today.

Although Panama are making their debut, their manager has the experience of coaching both Colombia and Ecuador in his four previous World Cups. Gomez has seen his share of adversity: he was Colombia’s assistant when Andres Escobar was assassinated after scoring an own goal at USA 1994, and was himself shot after dropping the president’s son from the Ecuador youth team in 2001.

Then Panama midfielder Amilcar Henriquez was shot dead outside his home last year during the qualification phase for this tournament, a loss that Gomez said “hurt us a lot”.

Gomez was asked about the video assistant referee (VAR) system, which drew controversy yet again on Friday after Serbia were denied a penalty kick when two Swiss defenders wrestled with and held Aleksandr Mitrovic in the box.

Gomez shrugged off worries about the system – and that it might make life harder for his tough-tackling team. “I

don’t give any specific instructions. We like to play hard. I’m not dwelling on VAR at all, maybe for others it affects their style of play, but not us.”

England may well be concerned, however, after striker Harry Kane was pulled to the ground in the area without winning a penalty during the match against Tunisia. Panama are known as a physical team and are expected to commit fouls to slow down a squad whom Gomez admitted were faster than his own.

He said Panama would focus on England’s top players, although he refused to name anyone in particular.

“We know these star players, we can’t give them any space,” Gomez said. “There’s only one ball on the pitch and we’re going to fight for it, we’re not going to let them pass it around too much.”

He admitted that England was one of his favourite sides and “a very beautiful and well-organised team”.

Gomez added: “We’re going to be facing once again a rival that is excellent, that is better than us, and we need to try to keep him tied up.”