Bellingham-inspired England return to winning ways to top group

Jude Bellingham dragged England out of a rainy New Jersey grind on Saturday, scoring one goal and creating another for Harry Kane as Thomas Tuchel's side beat Panama 2-0 to top Group L and avoid a nervy route through the World Cup knockout phase.

England finished with seven points, ahead of Croatia on six, after their 2-1 win against Ghana, who ended on four. Panama lost all three matches and finished bottom. England will play one of the eightbest third-placed teams in the Round of 32.

After a flat first half and a frustrating hour in which England dominated possession without cutting Panama open, Bellingham finally forced the breakthrough in the 62nd minute.

Bukayo Saka's corner from the left dropped into a crowded box, where Bellingham, despite being held by a defender, wrestled enough space to stab a left-footed finish past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.

Five minutes later, Bellingham took charge again on the left and clipped in a cross for Kane, who rose above his marker to head home. It was Kane's 11th World Cup goal for England, moving him past Gary Lineker's mark of 10 and making him the country's all-time leading scorerat World Cups.

The goal transformed the mood at the New York New Jersey Stadium, where anxious England supporters who had spent much of the afternoon biting their nails were soon singing along to Bon Jovi during the hydration break.

FIVE CHANGES AND SIMILAR STRUGGLES

Tuchel had made five changes from the side held 0-0 by Ghana. Reece James missed out with a hamstring problem, with Jarell Quansah starting at right back, while Nico O'Reilly returned at left back.

Declan Rice was rested and Morgan Rogers came into a more attack-minded midfield. Saka and Marcus Rashford replaced Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon.

Rashford had England's first clear opening in the seventh minute, driving a low shot from the edge of the box that forced Mosquera into a fine save. Much of England's early work came through Rashford and Bellingham on the left, but Panama remained dangerous on the break and Jordan Pickford had to save well from Jose Rodriguez in the 26th minute.

England became increasingly predictable. Rashford saw plenty of the ball but often held it too long, while Saka was isolated on the right and quickly surrounded whenever he tried to drive forward.

Rashford headed wide from close range in the 37th minute and Elliot Anderson tested Mosquera from distance. Rashford then curled a free kick narrowly wide before halftime.

Tuchel made no changes at the interval and England continued to labour. Kane failed to control a ball from close range in the 51st minute after Panama almost turned it into their own net, before Mosquera parried another Kane effort six minutes later.

But Bellingham's intervention changed everything, giving England a victory built more on persistence than fluency — and sending them through as group winners.

There was still time late on for Jordan Henderson to come on and become the first England player to play at four World Cups.

Vlasic header sends Croatia into World Cup knockouts

Nikola Vlasic headed in Luka Modric’s 83rd-minute corner to lift Croatia to a 2-1 victory over Ghana on Saturday and a second-place finish in World Cup Group L.

Vlasic’s perfect finish off the inside of the left post came 10 minutes after Derrick Luckassen had pulled Ghana level on his international debut, with half the time in between spent on a VAR review determining whether he was onside.

Petar Susic scored early for Croatia, who needed only a draw to reach the last 32. Claiming the second-place spot guaranteed the 2022 third-place finishers a meeting with the second-placed team in Group K, most likely Portugal or Colombia, on Thursday in Toronto.

Ghana, who finished third in the group, were already assured of qualification and will meet the winners of Group K, Portugal or Colombia, on Friday in Kansas City.

Susic gave Croatia a deserved lead after 31 minutes with a long-range strike into the bottom left corner.

Ghana were much improved in the second half, but Luckassen’s 73rd-minute goal was their first effort on target.

Ernest Nuamah delivered an inswinging free kick over Croatia’s defensive line and Luckassen clearly came from an onside position to knock the ball into the net at the back post.

Referee Drew Fischer was summoned to the monitor, where he determined that Kwasi Sibol, who was in an offside position, did not interfere in the play.

Luckassen was only on the field because manager Carlos Queiroz spared his three players on yellow cards.

Ghanaian joy was short-lived, however, as Modric’s corner sailed beyond the penalty spot towards the back post, where Vlasic was given space to meet it with the side of his head and nod it downwards in the one place goalkeeper Benjamin Asare could not save it.

Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo limped off in the late stages after suffering an apparent ankle injury, but was able to return to complete the 90 minutes.