Three things we learned from England win as crisis might be brewing | OneFootball

Marcus Rashford’s performance raises further concerns over England’s wide options

England can book their flights for Atlanta in the round of 32.

They eventually wore Panama down at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey and confirmed top spot in Group L with goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

They must still wait a little longer to discover their last-32 opponents, but DR Congo and Senegal are the likeliest teams to lay in wait for Thomas Tuchel’s team next.

Top spot sealed

They did what they needed to do. Tuesday’s frustrating draw with Ghana in Foxborough disrupted their momentum and left England with work to do here if they were to finish top and secure themselves an opponent in the last 32 that had finished third in their group.

While it took a while, two second-half goals did the job for England.

They were helped, in truth, by Panama’s brave approach to the match. Already eliminated and having failed to score in both of their first two matches, the Central Americans did not park the bus. Instead, they went at England in patches and tried to muster a moment for their fans to remember.

England are through to the last-32 as group winners

Getty

They failed to do so and, in turn, England found more space than against Ghana. Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka, in their first starts of the tournament, had to be patient but were put through by a midfield trio of Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers and, playing deeper as a No8, Bellingham.

England did not create a multitude of chances but created enough. Bellingham stabbed home cleverly from a Saka corner and Kane headed in the second to send England on their way.

Fresh wingers fails to deliver a telling answer

Neither Saka nor Rashford put in a poor display, but neither set the match alight either. Handed the initiative to prove themselves as better alternatives to Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, their answers to the question was unconvincing.

Rashford was lively throughout, cutting in and looking to shoot or cross from the left. He came close with a low shot early on and put wide with a free-kick from a presentable area in the first half. Things just didn’t come off. He was often stopped in his tracks into the box with a well-timed tackle and will have left the field feeling frustrated at not scoring or assisting given how much of the ball he saw.

Marcus Rashford struggled in the win over Panama

PA

Saka was finally fit enough to start but found similar difficulty in beating his man and breaking through a Panama defence that was well organised.

The Arsenal star combined well with Rogers on one or two occasions and did manage to leave the pitch with an assist as his corner set up Bellingham’s opener, which came as a relief to the England fans inside the MetLife Stadium.

He will likely keep his place for the round of 32. He will be keen, though, to still go up a level or three.

Crisis brewing?

By the round of 16, England might have to ring up Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker and tempt them to come out of international retirement through desperate measures, because a right-back crisis appears to be brewing. And spare a thought for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Newcastle’s Tino Livramento dropped out of the squad on the eve of the tournament after suffering a calf injury and Reece James missed out against Panama after skipping training with yet more hamstring pain.

Jarell Quansah was forced off in the second half

PA

Quansah made his major tournament debut as the man to come in and replace James on Saturday and looked the part.

Yet he could not finish the match, going down midway through the second half and having to be substituted as he walked off gingerly.

England will be desperate for good news as he heads for a medical assessment after the match. Luck has not been on Tuchel’s side in the right-back position as yet.