Jude Bellingham scored and assisted as England beat Panama 2-0 to top Group L, with Harry Kane breaking Gary Lineker’s England World Cup goals record in the process — though a Jarell Quansah injury cast a shadow over the night.
BELLINGHAM DELIVERS — AND KANE WRITES HISTORY
England weren’t pretty. But they got the job done — and along the way, history was made.
Jude Bellingham’s hooked finish from a corner on 62 minutes finally broke a turgid deadlock, before the Real Madrid star turned provider moments later, teeing up Harry Kane to head home his third of the tournament and surpass Gary Lineker as England’s all-time top scorer at World Cup finals. Lineker’s record stood for 40 years. Kane ended it with a header. Typically understated. Typically effective.
Here are the player ratings from John Cross of the Mirror, rating England’s 2-0 win over Panama at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
Jordan Pickford — 6/10
A few shaky moments with the ball at his feet but Panama rarely troubled him. Job done, quietly.
Jarell Quansah — 6/10
England’s right-back curse struck again. Hobbled off injured before the hour mark, potentially ending his tournament. The position is becoming a genuine crisis.
Ezri Konsa — 6/10
Read danger reasonably well but England looked vulnerable on the counter more often than Tuchel would have liked.
Marc Guéhi — 7/10
Composed, commanding and increasingly nailing down his starting spot. Tidied up consistently and showed the leadership that has become his trademark.
Nico O’Reilly — 6/10
Slotted into an unfamiliar left midfield role. Can’t really be criticised given the brief he was handed.
Elliot Anderson — 6/10
Excellent in possession and growing game by game. The £116m question: is he worth it? The jury’s still deliberating.
Jude Bellingham — 8/10 MOTM
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. England were going nowhere until Bellingham decided enough was enough. Scored, assisted, ran the show. England’s heartbeat. Their main man. Their difference-maker. Take your pick — all of them apply.
Bukayo Saka — 7/10
Lovely moments of skill and intelligence throughout, capped by a corner delivery that led directly to Kane’s record-breaking header.
Morgan Rogers — 6/10
Improved as the game wore on but this performance underlined a brutal reality: when it’s Rogers or Bellingham, there’s only one winner.
Marcus Rashford — 7/10
Lively, direct and dangerous down the left. Justified his selection emphatically. So much more of a threat than the alternative.
Harry Kane — 7/10
Didn’t need to do much but when it mattered, he was there. One header. One record. Lineker’s mark gone. History made.
Substitutes
Madueke (63 mins) — 6. Spence (63 mins) — 6. Eze (71 mins) — 6. Henderson and Watkins both introduced late with the game already won.
England now head to Atlanta for the Round of 32 against Senegal or DR Congo. They weren’t spectacular. But they’re through — and Kane is in the record books.
Job done.
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