Harry Kane’s brace ensured England got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 win against Tunisia.
Depending on how Belgium fare against the Eagles of Carthage, the Three Lions can potentially qualify for the last-16 if they beat Panama on Sunday.
Indeed, it would be almost unthinkable for them to record anything but a comfortable victory in their second Group H match. Panama were fortunate that Belgium were so wasteful in their encounter at the Fisht Stadium and the Red Devils still recorded a 3-0 victory thanks to two goals from Romelu Lukaku and a stunning volley from Dries Mertens.
Like Tunisia, their ambition will be to thwart England and to hit them on the break where possible. Their very presence in Russia proved a major talking point in the build-up to the tournament as they qualified ahead of the USA and are making their World Cup debut five years after suffering last-minute heartbreak in the qualifiers for Brazil 2014.
Who’s the manager?
Gareth Southgate might have been alarmed to learn that his counterpart in the dugout, Hernán Darío Gómez, is known as El Bolillo back home: The Baton. A man with a controversial past, the Colombian left his post with his native country in 2011 after it was revealed he had punched a woman outside a bar in Bogota.
At international level, he has also managed Ecuador – he was shot in 2001 in an apparent row over squad selection – and Guatemala, a spell which passed comparatively without incident.
How do they play?
Gómez has shown he is not afraid to be adventurous with his tactics, often utilising a 4-4-1-1 but sometimes playing with five at the back, which can become three if the rhythm of the game suits and if he senses an opportunity to hit England on the counter. Panama are expected to play with a lone striker and it will be interesting to see how England’s more skilful defenders, particularly John Stones, cope with the physical threat their attackers pose in the air.
Los Canaleros will seek to congest the middle of the pitch, which could inform whether Gareth Southgate adds another central midfielder into the mix or whether he sticks with Jordan Henderson and tries to create more space. Ruben Loftus-Cheek may come in to replace the injured Dele Alli.
We depart for Nizhny Novogorod later today, ahead of tomorrow's game against Panama.
Who poses a threat?
Panama’s key man is the instantly recognisable Román Torres. The defender scored the goal that qualified his country for the World Cup and has 110 caps. The 32-year-old Seattle Sounders man will be paired with New York Red Bulls’ young centre-back Fidel Escobar, who has impressed in his admittedly limited outings in the MLS.
Kane cut a frustrated figure as he was manhandled by Tunisia and he will have to be similarly dogged if he is to find a way through a defence that is not afraid to make niggly fouls throughout.
At the other end, forward Blas Pérez possesses great technique but also has a brutish side to him, earning a straight red for clattering Kasper Schmeichel in a warm-up game against Denmark. He was replaced by Gabriel Torres in the Belgium game and the number nine could be used as an impact sub again.
Michael Murillo will be key to turning defence into attack. The right-back is another of New York Red Bulls’ representatives at the World Cup. First and foremost, he will be tasked with containing an England attack that wasn’t always clinical enough against Tunisia, Raheem Sterling enduring a frustrating 68 minutes before being replaced by Marcus Rashford. Murillo can cause lots of problems going forward, however, and that may influence whether it is Ashley Young or Danny Rose who is employed as left-wing-back.
Attacking midfielder José Luis Rodríguez of Belgian club Gent has come into the squad for Alberto Quintero, while on the other side of the midfield, Édgar Joel Bárcenas could be Panama’s biggest threat down the right.
How did they warm up?
Prior to the World Cup, Panama won just one in five, including a 6-0 thumping by Switzerland but narrowly losing by a single goal to Denmark. The latter gave them a useful model of how they ought to operate against England, frustrating the Danes and to interpret their antics in the best possible light, showing their ruggedness and tenacity. What makes this encounter so interesting is that those are qualities England sometimes struggle to overcome.
Expected line-up: Penedo, Murillo, Torres, Escobar, Davis, Gómez, Bárcenas, Cooper, Godoy, Rodríguez, Pérez
