By RONALD BLUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, N,.J. (AP):- Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0 Saturday and into what appears to be a more favorable bracket for the knockout phase of the World Cup.
On a rainy afternoon before a vocal pro-England crowd that made MetLife Stadium seem like Wembley, Panama held the European power scoreless through a first half when neither team mounted threats and Kane had 10 touches, the fewest of any player.
Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick. Held in bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year.
Five minutes later, Bellingham crossed from the left flank and Kane outjumped Andrés Andrade to head the ball in for his 82nd international goal. Kane became England’s record World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.
Wearing red jerseys in a tournament for the first time since beating Sweden in a 2018 World Cup quarterfinal, England finished the group with two wins and a draw for seven points. The English play their Round of 32 match Wednesday in Atlanta, likely against Senegal or Congo. The team that advances faces Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico City.
If the Three Lions had dropped to second, they probably would have faced Colombia or Portugal, with the winner meeting Spain, Austria or Algeria.
Panama went 0-3 for the second time and joined Iraq, Haiti, El Salvador, Canada and Mexico — all but one from the CONCACAF region — as teams that lost their first six World Cup matches. José Fajardo put the ball in the net for the Los Canaleros in second-half stoppage time, but was called for offside.
Supporters filled the field walls with Cross of St. George flags displaying club names that included Tottenham, Watford and Wolves plus some less-celebrated ones such as Crawley Town, Bristol Rovers and Faversham Town.
England, which won its only World Cup at home in 1966, reached the knockout rounds for the seventh time in eight World Cups.
Jarell Quansah, usually a central defender, replaced right back Reece James, sidelined by a hamstring injury. Nico O’Reilly took over from Djed Spence at left back. Coach Thomas Tuchel replaced three midfielder, using Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford instead of Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played his 15th World Cup match, second among English players to Peter Shilton’s 17.