England top Group L with 2-0 win over Panama, Kane breaks record

England supporters in rainy New Jersey and back home were celebrating in unison after Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane sealed a 2-0 victory over Panama at MetLife Stadium, a result that sent England top of Group L and into the knockout rounds. The mood around East Rutherford, New Jersey, matched the one in living rooms and fan spots across the U.K., where the win turned a routine group-stage finish into a moment of shared relief and renewed belief.

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the second half before Harry Kane added England’s second, giving Thomas Tuchel’s side the three points they needed to take first place in the group. The result also put England into what appears to be a more favorable route through the knockout bracket, a prize that matters as much for the shape of the tournament as for the scoreline itself. Panama, meanwhile, exited the competition without scoring.

Kane’s goal carried added weight beyond the result. It broke Gary Lineker’s England World Cup scoring record, adding another line to a career that has increasingly defined England’s attack on the biggest stage. The strike also extended England’s unbeaten run against CONCACAF opposition at World Cup finals to seven matches, with four wins and three draws, a run that underlines how consistently England have managed teams from the region when the stakes rise.

The performance was not polished throughout. England were described as workmanlike rather than fluent, and the rainy conditions in New York and New Jersey added to the stop-start rhythm. Even so, the team delivered the one thing that mattered in the group finale: control of its own destiny, first place in Group L and a clear path into the next round. England were reported to face DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 1, with the sharper tests now beginning and the defensive standard likely to decide how far this run can go.