England carved open Panama during their second Group Stage game of the 2018 World Cup and with that emphatic win, the Three Lions tumbled as well as set a series of records.
Gareth Southgate’s side went in front in the 8th minute of the match courtesy of a thumping header from John Stones which scored one more goal in the 40th minute. Then it was Jesse Lingard who scored a wonderful long ranger. But the match of the match performance came from England’s captain Harry Kane who scored a hattrick during the game and with that took his goals tally for the tournament to 5.
Here are 10 interesting facts from the England vs Panama game that you might have missed:
1. Serial scorer Kane:
Harry Kane has scored in each of his last five games for England and he is the first player since Ron Flower to score in each of England’s first two group matches of the World Cup. Ron Flower achieved that feat way back in 1962.
2. Third time lucky:
This is the third time that England have managed to win the opening two games in the World Cup, the previous two tournaments being 1982 and 2006.
3. Shades of ’66:
England have scored four or more goals in a World Cup game for the first time since the 1966 final – when the Three Lions won the World Cup.
4. Company of the elites:
Harry Kane becomes only the third Englishman to have scored a hattrick in the World Cup. The other two players were Geoff Hurst in 1966 and Gary Lineker in 1986.
5. Goals galore:
The 6-1 win over Panama was England’s biggest ever victory in a major competitive tournament. Both World Cup and European Championships combined.
6. Captain Kane:
Harry Kane is the first England captain who has scored 3 World Cup goals. The previous best was 2 goals by David Beckham and Alan Shearer.
7. Precision-man:
Harry Kane has managed to score from each of his five shots on target so far during the 2018 World Cup.
8. Stone wall:
John Stones has had more shots(5) at the 2018 World Cup than he has misplaced passes(4).
9. The first for England:
This is the first time that England managed to score 5 goals in the World Cup.
10. Panama 74:
Panama’s solitary goal against England was the first goal they had scored making them the 74th nation to score at the World Cup.
Read: Premier League star drops a bomb claiming this could be his final World Cup.
Read: Jessie Lingard’s celebrations during England’s win vs Panama.
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