A SUPER SIX BUT REAL TESTS AWAIT ENGLAND
Expectations rise as Kane hat-trick helps to brush aside Panama
Southgate will not want to lose any momentum
THERE is more than one way of looking at yesterday’s match for England. There is the playing it down option, the realisation that it was only Panama, that they lie 55th in the FIFA rankings and this is their first World Cup.
Or, of course, street parties could break out and people could start phoning in sick now for the morning after the World Cup final, so sure are they of the hangover they would happily endure for England to reach the showpiece occasion.
And, lastly, there is a middle ground of common sense.
One that accepts this was a very good result, but considerably harder tests lie ahead and England need to move on and not treat a sizeable victory over inferior opposition as if it was a trophy. The likes of Germany or Brazil would not do that.
It is also worth remembering that this stage in 2014, England were out. Gone. Played two, lost two, with only a meaningless fixture against Costa Rica ahead. The final group game is a dead rubber here, too, England and Belgium both qualified. All that is to be decided is first and second place, with England currently topping the group on fewer bookings, believe it or not.
In all other aspects, points, goals scored, goals conceded, the teams are level. If they draw in Kaliningrad, they will be separated by disciplinary records; it is that tight.
And totally unexpected, too. After Belgium laid down a marker with a 5-2 win over Tunisia on Saturday, it was thought England would be coming second on goal difference. They would beat Panama but not by a sufficient margin and, even if they got a draw in the final game, would not be able to match Belgium’s numbers. Instead, they were 5-0 up at half-time — only the fifth team in World Cup history to make such a start.
This was made all the more impressive by the fact that the build up to the game had contained some familiar defeatist English tropes. Stifling heat in Nizhny Novgorod, a fall-out with the media, the pressure of expectation and facing an underdog. All issues that typically bring down an England team at a World Cup. They shrugged it off, with almost youthful nonchalance.
John Stones became the first English Manchester City player to score at a World Cup finals since Trevor Francis in 1982 — then did it again — while Harry Kane left the field after 62 minutes as the World Cup’s top goalscorer, albeit a tad fortuitously. He was mocked when announcing he wanted to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at this tournament, but has been as good as his word.
England even put penalties away — Kane twice, and both were absolutely splendid. And if all the set-piece and penalty action wasn’t enough, Jesse Lingard — arguably England’s best player — found the time to score an absolute belter, curled into the top-right corner.
In the 62nd minute, when Lingard’s shot clipped Kane’s heel and was diverted past goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, England were six goals clear and top of Group G on goal difference. That substitute Felipe Baloy pulled one back with 12 minutes to go means it could not be tighter going into the final match.
While second may, ironically, deliver an easier route, Southgate (right) will not want to lose momentum now.
His team are on a roll. If any other country recorded this result, it would be said they were World Cup contenders. Not winners, necessarily. Panama are no preparation for what lies ahead, of course. But six, against anybody, is a rare dividend and Southgate’s celebrations in front of England’s growing support suggests he understands. So how did it go down? Basically England played well — not brilliantly — and an ageing, overly physical Panama team wilted in the heat. This thoroughly vindicated Southgate’s decision to keep his players in the cooler north. What good would it have done to train in this for a week or so? Individuals are born to these temperatures or it bothers them. By the time England’s energy level dropped, the game was over. Southgate’s preparations were perfect.
As for the leaked team, it was wrong anyway. Raheem Sterling played, Marcus Rashford did not. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was in, but everyone guessed that anyway and he wasn’t greatly influential. If Dele Alli misses Belgium, too, it will be because Southgate wants to keep him fresh for the knockout stages — not because his place is under threat.
And while this was not Sterling’s best game, nor was it evidence that Southgate blundered keeping the faith. Right now, however, England are getting by on Kieran Trippier’s wonderful dead balls and Kane’s eye for the main chance. Steve McClaren said set-pieces could win England this World Cup. He may have overplayed it but,
certainly, few here have a weapon as potent.
Both the goals against Tunisia came from corners and when Trippier stood over the first of the afternoon on nine minutes, it was plain Panama were alive to the threat. There was grappling, tugging, and some full-on throwdowns and that was before the ball was kicked. Referee Ghead Grisha of Egypt warned Panama about it, then let it happen anyway. In the confusion, Panama’s wrestlers were too busy tag-teaming Harry’s Maguire and Kane to notice that Stones had lost his man, Michael Murillo, and was entirely free in the middle of the area. Trippier picked him out and England were in front, the header perfectly steered towards the bottom corner.
From there, Panama forged the odd opportunity but had no rearguard and just about every time England threatened, they scored.
Trippier played another lovely ball through to Lingard, who was clumsily felled in the area by Fidel Escobar. Kane stepped up, but was delayed several minutes. Scuffles outside the penalty area as players jostled for position, time-wasting by the Panamanians, goalkeeper Penedo leaning on a post as if in defiance of the decision.
Yet Kane still buried the ball, with pace, with ferocious power, into the top-left corner.
Then, in the 36th minute, the best of the lot. Lingard played a lovely one-two with Sterling before getting the ball back on the edge of the area, and curling it into the far top corner. It was a finish in complete contrast to what had been witnessed against Tunisia. Clinical and perfect.
The fun at set-pieces continued. Trippier took a short free-kick to Jordan Henderson, who clipped in a lovely ball met by Kane, heading across goal. It might have been a first international goal in three years for Sterling but Penedo saved, only for Stones to head in the rebound.
The fifth was another penalty but what for, or who against, it cannot be said. There were simply too many offences being committed to pick out a single culprit. Was it Murillo with his arms around Stones outside the six-yard box? Was it Godoy slinging Kane to the ground near the penalty spot? Was it Colonel Mustard with the lead piping in the study? It might as well have been. Kane was the winner of goal-mouth Cluedo, though, because he got to take the same penalty, with the same result.
So England cruised to victory, while their fans enjoyed the spectacle and the expectations levels continued to rise. What happens next? Perhaps the performance against Belgium will provided a more realistic gauge.