Key events
Thomas Tuchel talks to ITV. โWe feel very well preparedโฆ a strong teamโฆ ready to goโฆ prove a pointโฆ take the next step and win the matchโฆ Iโm always excited about my team because we have a strong teamโฆ very attackingโฆ the goal is to speed up the gameโฆ itโs very difficult if youโre always playing against ten people defendingโฆ dedicationโฆ dedicationโฆ we have a lot to improve on but weโre ready for itโฆ these are squads on the sideโฆ we attack with three or four playersโฆ itโs not just about Marcus (Rashford) or Anthony (Gordon) โฆ Declan (Rice) has been knocked out โฆ heโs ready to play and Iโd like to manage his minutes โฆ and heโs got a yellow card โฆ Jude (Bellingham) is in 8th and Morgan (Rogers) is in 10th.โ
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Pre-match mail. โAt what stage of the game (assuming itโs still scoreless) do you think youโll get an email lamenting the absence of Foden/Palmer/Alexander-Arnold? Iโll give it 20 minutes.โ โ David Wall
โA warning from a seasoned Concacaf viewer. In addition to Panamaโs use of a low block, the England team can expect a steady diet of cleat massage on the feet, ankles and legs.โ โ Mary Waltz
โAs the England starting line-up makes clear, the Three Lions are ready to face the truth or Konsa Quansas today,โ Peter O.
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Panama made three changes to its starting line-up following its 1-0 defeat to Croatia. Fidel Escobar and Jorge Gutierrez replace Hiovani Ramos and Cesar Blackman at the back, while Jose Fajardo makes way for Tomas Rodriguez at the front. Panama hopes to send Adalberto Carrasquilla, its beating heart and playmaker, who has yet to play in this World Cup, at some point.
Adalberto CarrasquillaShare
Updated at 3:59 pm ET.
As expected, England made five changes to the team that started the goalless draw with Ghana earlier this week. Reece James is out with a hamstring, so Jarell Quansah comes in at right-back. Nico OโReilly reclaims his left-back spot from Jed Spence. Declan Rice rests to save his back; he is replaced by Morgan Rogers in a more attack-oriented midfield. Up front, Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon were replaced by Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford, who livened things up late in the match against Ghana.
Jarell QuansahShare
Teams
Panama: Mosquera, Murillo, Escobar, Cordova, Andrade, Gutierrez, Martinez, Barcenas, Harvey, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Tomas Rodriguez.
Subs: Mejia, Zamudio, Blackman, Farina, Carrasquilla, Diaz, Ramos, Davis, Fajardo, Waterman, Quintero, Godoy, Janis, Londono, Miller.
England: Pickford, Quansa, Konsa, Guehi, OโReilly, Bellingham, Anderson, Saka, Rodgers, Rashford, Kane.
Subs: Rice, Stones, Dean Henderson, Trafford, Chalobah, Jordan Henderson, Byrne, Mainu, Gordon, Watkins, Maduek, Eze, Toney, Spence.
Judge: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar).
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Updated at 3:46 p.m. ET.
England took the weather with it. As you can see from the photo, itโs been capsized for several hours in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Then a home away from home! (If we donโt count the current heatwave sweeping the UK, that is, but letโs not pull any strings, youโll get the point.) Luckily, thereโs no expectation of electrical activity or anything else that would force FIFA to turn on its protocols. The only stops tonight, God willing, will be the ever-popular hydration breaks. Small mercies.
Itโs a little hot here for a bus. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PAShare
Updated at 3:44 pm ET.
I would also be remiss if I did not mention the plight of Scotland.
Sigh.
Theyโre not technically out of the game yet, although they need groups J, K and L to play well if they want to survive. The odds of that happening are currently a whopping 0.07%, but that final chunk of nil-seven points will be mercilessly dumped unless Ghana can beat Croatia by at least three goals in tonightโs other Group L match. Thereโs no point worrying about the other necessary survival criteria just yet, then.
โToo right, Scott,โ Simon McMahon boldly responds to all these words. โIโm already on my fifth and fifth scarf from Ghana, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Algeria and Austria. Come on, Scotland! Itโs coming home, baby!โ
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Updated at 3:32 pm ET.
As for Englandโฆ Well, itโs a small sample, but to be honest, the ups have been more pronounced than the downs. A win and a draw are enough to guarantee progress to the knockout stages following Spainโs victory over Uruguay last night. The first, albeit the lowest, obstacle has already been overcome without unnecessary fuss.
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Hereโs how Panama has achieved it so far. If youโre going to lose both matches without breaking trust, the only way to do it is with two gutsy performances against an imaginary opponent.
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Then that low block. This turns out to be a real mystery. But donโt worry! It features some of the worldโs leading management minds โ Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes to be exact.
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Facing England tonight. Support the team that started this tournament as the 33rd best in the world with our team and player guides. Start with their star man Michael Amir Murillo and move onโฆ
Michael Amir MurilloShare
Rashford, Saka, Rodgers and Quansah are expected to start.
โฆand thereโs early team news from our man. Over to you, Jacob Steinbergโฆ
double quoteGreetings from New Jersey. Marcus Rashford is rumored to replace Anthony Gordon on the left when England face Panama later. Jarell Quansah is also expected to make his World Cup debut, replacing the injured Reece James at right-back. Bukayo Saka replaces Noni Madueke and in attack it looks like Morgan Rogers will replace the rested Declan Rice and link up with Jude Bellingham as Tuchel tries to find a way to break Panamaโs low block.
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Updated at 15:11 ET.
Preamble
England recorded their biggest World Cup victory against Panama at the 2018 tournament. A 6-2 defeat sent Gareth Southgateโs side into fourth place; Harry Kaneโs hat-trick went a long way in helping him win the Golden Boot. Here we are againโฆ except last time Panama were ranked 55th in the world, but now they are ranked 42nd, and thatโs after falling eight places following their 1-0 defeat to Croatia. Panama also gave Ghana a good performance in their opening Group L match, so while most observers expect England to do the deed tonight, the current version of the Red Tide โ finishing second behind Mexico in both the previous Concacaf Gold Cup and the Nations League โ is no pushover. England look to bounce back from struggles against Queirozbol earlier in the week; if they do, theyโll earn the applause that comes their way and hope it bodes well for another deep run. The tournament will start at 22:00 BST, 17:00 EST and 7:00 AEST. Itโs on!
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