First half action in New Jersey

By Priya Nair — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

The England squad is competing against Panama in a World Cup 2026 group stage match in New Jersey. The team aims to secure the top spot in Group L, having already confirmed their progression in the tournament. The match has seen various moments of play, including attempts on goal and defensive actions from both sides.

Early in the match, Marcus Rashford made a determined run down the left, winning a corner for England. This led to a shot from Bukayo Saka, which was handled by Mosquera, the Panama goalkeeper. Rashford later cut in from the left and unleashed a low shot towards the bottom left, which Mosquera managed to turn around the post. Anderson then delivered the ball, causing the goalkeeper to flap, but Saka’s subsequent slice went wide right.

Jude Bellingham also attempted a shot from a considerable distance, which did not trouble Mosquera. Earlier, Bellingham had received a wedge pass from Rashford deep on the left, breaking into the box, but Cordoba intervened to concede a corner before a shot could be taken. This set piece did not result in a goal.

Panama has also shown offensive intent. Barcenas advanced down the right flank, leading to a free kick after Konsa was penalised for holding his shirt. Jose Luis Rodriguez, after receiving a pass from Martinez, found space in the middle but was dispossessed before he could connect with Tomas Rodriguez. Later, Jose Luis Rodriguez took advantage of space on Panama’s left to send a low drive towards the bottom left, requiring a strong save from Pickford to turn it around the post.

Defensively, Anderson, as the last man, effectively dealt with a flick-on while Jose Luis Rodriguez was nearby, preventing a potential threat to England’s goal. Guehi floated a pass forward to O’Reilly inside the Panama box, who attempted a back-flick header towards the bottom left, but Mosquera secured the ball. Martinez also played a deep pass for Murillo in the England box, but the flag was raised for offside.

During this period, some observers noted that England’s performance had not been particularly engaging. One comment suggested that if England were to put in more effort, they might achieve more than a draw.

Group L developments and historical context

In another Group L match, Croatia took a 1-0 lead against Ghana at half-time, courtesy of a Petar Sucic goal from 25 yards. This result, as it stood at half-time, would mean Croatia would win the group, and England would potentially face Portugal in the last 32. However, the second halves of these matches, and other group fixtures, were yet to be completed, indicating that the final standings could still change.

The current encounter marks England’s second match against Panama. In their only previous meeting at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Harry Kane scored a hat-trick, which included two goals from penalty kicks. This was England’s third hat-trick in the tournament’s history, following those by Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final and Gary Lineker in 1986.

Historically, England has a strong record in their third group games at the World Cup, losing only one of their last matches. This sole defeat was a 0-1 loss to Belgium in 2018. Declan Rice has been a key player in the current tournament, having created chances so far in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is the highest among all players across the first two matchdays. This achievement places him among a select group of England players, with David Beckham being the only other to create 10 or more chances in a single group stage at the finals, achieving 11 in 2002 and 16 in 2006.