England face 'more serious' Panama threat after World Cup thrashing that inspired new era | OneFootball

2018 drubbing laid foundations for Gareth Southgate progress, but Los Canaleros have made significant strides since then

The steps England took in the subsequent three tournaments - and the new ground they are seeking to break this summer - owe much to their spirited run to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia in 2018.

That was the starting point for Gareth Southgate’s side. A young squad proved to themselves that they did not have to be restrained by the failures of England teams past, and it was the foundation from which journeys to the finals of back-to-back European Championships was built.

What it also did was help the nation to fall back in love with its team following years of chronic disappointment and disillusionment.

England face Panama this evening hoping to wrap up top spot in Group L, and for many Three Lions fans it will conjure up vivid memories of their first and only previous meeting.

A ruthless 6-1 victory over Los Canaleros in their second group game in 2018 marked the largest margin of victory England had ever produced in a major tournament.

That was the day it all began to feel different. It was a baking-hot Sunday back home in England and the match kicked off at 1pm BST. Arranging a barbecue around an England game had been dangerous business for years, given their remarkable propensity to underachieve.

This time, though, it was safe. BBC commentator Guy Mowbray declared at half-time: “What a result before the break. England five, Panama nil. This is unbelievable.”

Fond memories: Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as England thrashed Panama 6-1 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia

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Here was an overused word applied perfectly. It was unbelievable. It wasn’t what England were supposed to do. England were supposed to fill their fans up with hope and then cruelly drain them of it each and every time.

On that fateful day - incidentally, the last time England managed to win their second group game at a tournament - the manager of Panama was Hernan Dario Gomez.

As the two sets of players returned to the dressing room in Nizhny Novgorod, Gomez had a word with Southgate and asked him to slow things down after the interval.

The game was well won already by England through goals from Harry Kane (two), John Stones (two) and Jesse Lingard, and Gomez did not want World Cup debutants Panama humiliated.

A goal each in the second half followed. England’s saw Kane complete his only World Cup hat-trick to date, the ball looping off his heel from a Ruben Loftus-Cheek shot and bouncing in without him even knowing it.

Kane gave a wry smile this week when reminded of that game.

“Yeah, a couple of pens and a lucky goal,” the skipper recalled. “It wasn't my most beautiful hat-trick, to be honest. I'd take that again on Saturday, for sure.”

We’re much more serious now... we’ve improved and have more quality players

Panama fan Octavio Reina

Unquestionably, he and England would. Panama’s Danish manager Thomas Christiansen made it known before this tournament that the Central American nation are more serious now. They were, he insisted, “not here just for a selfie”.

Back-to-back 1-0 defeats by Ghana and Croatia have seen them knocked out before they even face England at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, yet their elimination does not mean they will not be tricky opponents.

They were ranked 34th in the world heading into this summer’s tournament. Back in 2018, they were 55th.

“We’re much more serious now than then,” Panama fan Octavio Reina tells Standard Sport. “Absolutely, we’ve improved. We have tickets, we’ll be there. I think it’s going to be fantastic.

Some believe Panama might be even stiffer opponents for England now they are eliminated - able to throw everything at their final game of the tournament.

“The entire country feels that way,” Reina smiles. “We just hope the players feel the same thing we do.”