It can be said that both teams recorded expected results in the first round, but it also states that both England and Panama remain bound to their supporters, because the English have been lucky enough to defeat Tunisia with 2-1, while Panama has lost from the first favourite in the group, the team of Belgium with 3-0. However, for England it is most important that they have three points on their account and they are now looking for a triumph that will probably lead them to the round of sixteen, but they hope it will be easier. Panama has not shown almost anything in the first round against Belgium and they probably cannot play worse than they did, so that encourages their optimism. So far these two teams have not had any mutual duels.
When it comes to England, it is free to say, swipe the game, swipe the points, because this team has not shown anything special in the first round against Tunisia and they really had the luck to come to all three points, or better said they had Kane, who has achieved both goals and practically is the only one that can get a passing grade. It was expected that he would be their biggest asset, but it was also expected that he would have support from his teammates, who almost all failed and overall did not show a particularly good game on the field, while they scored both goals after the break. The start was a very good one when they scored a winning goal, while they played very poorly in the second half, when they were expected to play harder after the Tunisians equalized.
The defensive part of the team was expected to be on the right level and with three in the final line it looked pretty solid, and the only goal they received was from the penalty. Coach Southgate has sent the expected team on the field, but he has surprised all with the changes in the second half, when Vardy or Welbeck did not get the chance and when it seemed that they will not manage to win. Rashford entered the game and that means he is ready, so he can be a starter now instead of Sterling. Delle Alli is having injury problems and if he is not ready, Loftus-Cheek will probably jump in.
Probable lineups England: Pickford – Walker, Stones, Maguire – Trippier, J.Henderson, Lingard, Delle Alli(Loftus-Cheek), A.Young – Rashford, H.Kane
Panama has started their debut performance at the World Cup very badly, but it could not be expected they would do anything more when we knew they played against the powerful Belgium. All they did was a good resistance in the first-half in which they managed to keep their net intact and it can be said that they almost completely blocked all the attacks of the favoured opponent. They have received a goal immediately at the beginning of the second half and their game has completely fell apart and they created only one real chance to score a goal.
That defeat has not certainly shaken them to much, because they came to Russia without too much ambition and pressure to do something, especially not in this first duel, and it is very similar in the second one, because England is for Panama a superpower, so to they are again playing without any pressure. Coach Gomez has made a little surprise against Belgium when Machado remained on the bench, and Murillo played on the right back, while Ovalle was not on the left, but Davis. G.Torres wa not at the top of the attack, so B.Perez played instead, however, it did not bring anything particularly good and now there may be some changes.
Probable lineups Panama: Penedo – Machado, R.Torres, Escobar, Ovalle – Gomez, Godoy, Cooper, Barcenas, Rodriguez – G.Torres
England has not shown anything special in the first round and they have been lucky to win, but Panama has shown even less and it is clear that they are among the weakest teams at this World Cup, so even with one average game, England can make a new victory and qualify in the round of sixteen.
Pick: Asian Handicap -1.5
England 1.78 - 78/100 @1XBet