---
title: "England labour past Panama to top their group as Croatia also advance"
description: "A second-half double from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane gave England a 2-0 win over Panama at the 2026 World Cup, sealing top spot in their group and a place in the round of 32 — with Kane's goal taking him past Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer at the tournament."
category: "Sports"
category_url: https://newsparlor.com/category/sports
author: "Jasmine Howard"
published: 2026-06-27T23:14:00.000Z
updated: 2026-06-27T23:14:00.000Z
canonical: https://newsparlor.com/article/england-panama-world-cup-top-group
tags: ["world-cup-2026", "england", "panama", "croatia", "jude-bellingham", "harry-kane"]
---
# England labour past Panama to top their group as Croatia also advance

A second-half double from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane gave England a 2-0 win over Panama at the 2026 World Cup, sealing top spot in their group and a place in the round of 32 — with Kane's goal taking him past Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer at the tournament.

For an hour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, England looked as laboured as their group-stage form had suggested — patient on the ball but blunted by a disciplined Panama defense. Then, in the space of a few minutes, they found the breakthrough and turned a stalemate into a comfortable passage to the knockout rounds.

## Two goals in five minutes

The deadlock broke in the 62nd minute when [Jude Bellingham turned in a Bukayo Saka corner](https://www.skysports.com/football/panama-vs-england/549837) from close range, according to Sky Sports. Five minutes later Harry Kane doubled the lead, heading home a Bellingham cross. The result was a 2-0 win, [confirmed by FIFA's match centre](https://www.fifa.com/en/match-centre/match/17/285023/289273/400021508), that sent England top of their group.

## Kane past Lineker

Kane's header was his 11th goal at a World Cup, moving him past Gary Lineker as England's record scorer at the finals — a milestone on an afternoon that was more workmanlike than thrilling. England manager Thomas Tuchel had rotated his side, and the changes contributed to a slow start before Bellingham's intervention settled matters.

## Croatia through too

Croatia also reached the knockout stage, beating Ghana to take second place in the group behind England — a recovery after Croatia had been beaten by England earlier in the group phase. Both European sides now progress to the round of 32, the new first knockout round introduced for this expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

## What's next

England advance to a round-of-32 tie in the days ahead, with Tuchel hoping to have a fuller squad available as the margin for error narrows. The Three Lions are through and topped their group — but the questions about turning territory and possession into goals more consistently will travel with them into the knockouts.