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England hammer Panama on way to World Cup knockout stages

A dominant England team marched on to the knockout stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a 6-1 win over Panama on Sunday.

Karzan Sulaivany 2018/06/24 13:50

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ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A dominant England team marched on to the knockout stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a 6-1 win over Panama on Sunday.

England came into the match knowing they needed a win to progress into the Round of 16.

Defender John Stones opened the scoring with a header from a corner-kick on eight minutes before captain Harry Kane converted a 22nd-minute penalty to double England’s lead.

Panama offered very little going forward and it was England who extended their lead after Jesse Lingard’s powerful curling effort found the top corner on 36 minutes.

Stones scored another header four minutes later before England were awarded a second penalty just before the end of the first-half, again converted by Kane.

England picked up where they left off in the second-half and increased their lead through Kane who completed his hat trick and is now the leading goalscorer at the World Cup with five, ahead of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku.

Panama would eventually score their first ever goal at the World Cup finals through Felipe Baloy in the 78th minute, but it proved only a consolation.

England plays Belgium on June 28 in a match that will determine who finishes top of Group G.

England's forward Harry Kane applauds as he leaves the field during the 2018 World Cup Group G football match between England and Panama at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, on June 24, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Dimitar Dilkoff)

Meanwhile, in Group H action, Japan came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Senegal at the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The African side was first on the scoresheet after Japanese goalkeeper Elji Kawashima’s weak punch ricocheted off of Senegal forward Sadio Mane in the 11th minute.

Japan responded through Takashi Inui’s stunning effort on 34 minutes to send the teams into the break level at 1-1.

The Japanese came out in the second half with purpose, creating a few chances and even hitting the crossbar, but it was Senegal who regained the lead in the 71st minute through Moussa Wague.

Japan was resilient and found an equalizer minutes later when substitute Keisuke Honda scored in the 78th.

Japan's defender Gen Shoji (right) vies with Senegal's forward Mbaye Niang during the 2018 World Cup Group H football match between Japan and Senegal at the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on June 24, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Anne-Christine Poujoulat)

Elsewhere in Group H, Colombia beat Poland 3-0, knocking the European side out of the competition in the process.

After a slow start, Colombia took the lead after 40 minutes through a Yerry Mina header who gave his team a 1-0 half-time lead.

The South Americans added a second after the break when Radamel Falcao struck in the 70th minute before Juan Cuadrado scored a third five minutes later to give the Colombians a commanding lead.

Colombia plays Senegal on June 28 where only a win will guarantee their progression in the knockout stages of the competition.

Colombia's players celebrate after scoring their second goal during the 2018 World Cup Group H football match between Poland and Colombia at the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, on June 24, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Roman Kruchinin)

The 2018 FIFA World Cup takes place between June 14 and July 15 with 32 teams from five different confederations competing.

The final will be played on July 15 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at 6:00 p.m. Erbil time.

So far, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Peru, Costa Rica, Tunisia, Panama, and Poland have been eliminated from the tournament.

The nations who have advanced to the Round of 16 are Russia, Uruguay, France, Croatia, Belgium, and England.