Panama 0–2 England: Bellingham and Kane fire Three Lions to Group L top spot
England secured first place in Group L with a controlled 2–0 victory over Panama at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 27 June 2026. A goalless first half saw Panama defend resolutely in a compact shape, frustrating Thomas Tuchel's side and limiting Harry Kane to just a handful of touches.
The deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute when Jude Bellingham reacted sharply to Bukayo Saka's corner, stabbing the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera from close range for his third World Cup goal. Five minutes later Bellingham turned provider, whipping a cross from the left flank for Kane to outjump the Panama defence and head home England's second.
Kane's goal was his 11th at FIFA World Cups, breaking Gary Lineker's long-standing England record. England finished Group L with seven points — two wins and a draw — while Panama ended the group stage bottom with no points and no goals.
Key moments
- •Jude Bellingham scored England's opener in the 62nd minute, converting Bukayo Saka's corner with a close-range finish
- •Harry Kane headed home in the 67th minute from Bellingham's cross to claim his 11th World Cup goal, breaking Gary Lineker's England record
- •England kept a clean sheet and topped Group L with 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw)
- •Panama were held scoreless across all three group games and finished bottom with zero points
- •Bellingham both scored and assisted in the same World Cup match
Timeline
Match facts
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- 80,663 attendance
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- Referee: Abdulrahman Al Jassim (Qatar)
Match report generated from publicly available sources. Facts are drawn from the sources below.