New York New Jersey Stadium hosts England and Panama World Cup match

By Bilal Ahmed — 27 June 2026 — 4 min read

First Half Action

The match between England and Panama at New York New Jersey Stadium saw early pressure from England. In the 5th minute, Marcus Rashford delivered a pass for Jude Bellingham, who was making a run into the box. However, Jose Cordoba intervened, deflecting the ball for a corner before Bellingham could attempt a shot. The resulting set piece did not lead to a goal.

Rashford continued to be active on the left flank, and in the 8th minute, he cut in and unleashed a low shot towards the bottom left. The shot was on target, but Mosquera, the Panama goalkeeper, managed to turn it around the post. Shortly after, Saka delivered a weak shot that Mosquera easily handled.

Panama also showed intent to push forward. In the 11th minute, Barcenas advanced down the right, leading to a free kick after a foul by Konsa, though this also came to nothing. Later, in the 16th minute, Jose Luis Rodriguez received a pass from Martinez in the middle, creating a moment of danger for England before possession was lost.

A cross into the Panama box in the 18th minute saw Harry Kane meet the ball on the left edge of the six-yard area. His volley struck Harvey’s arm, deflecting out for a corner. Kane appealed for a penalty, but the referee awarded only a corner, which did not result in a score.

As the first half progressed, England pressed Panama, but the Panama defence maintained its shape. In the 26th minute, Jose Luis Rodriguez exploited space on Panama’s left, firing a low drive that Pickford had to turn around the post. The subsequent corner was cleared.

A drinks break occurred around the 23rd minute. Following the restart, Harvey took a shot that found the side netting. Saka then made a run into the box from the right, but Andrade successfully ushered him out of play.

In the 31st minute, Rogers delivered a cross from the right, which was easily cleared. Mosquera in the Panama goal had a relatively quiet period. O’Reilly attempted a back-flick header from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, but Mosquera secured the ball.

A pass from Guehi to O’Reilly inside the Panama box was noted. In the 34th minute, Martinez sent a pass down the inside-right channel to Murillo, who was free in the England box. Murillo miscontrolled the ball, and an offside flag was raised.

In the 38th minute, a cross into the Panama box from the right saw Rashford head narrowly over the bar. Earlier in the same play, Saka claimed a foul from Gutierrez in the area, but replays showed no contact, and the penalty claim was dismissed.

Towards the end of the half, Anderson dealt with a flick-on while Jose Luis Rodriguez advanced. Saka won England’s fifth corner of the game in the 43rd minute, but his delivery did not beat the first man. In the 45th minute, Kane was fouled by Harvey, setting up a free-kick opportunity from about 25 yards out. Rashford’s subsequent shot went wide of the right-hand post.

Match Statistics and Group Standings

According to the match statistics, England had more possession and a higher expected goals (xG) value compared to Panama. England recorded 9 shots, with 2 on target, while Panama had 3 shots, with 2 on target. England also had significantly more touches inside the opposition box, with 18 compared to Panama’s 2.

In terms of passing, England completed 321 passes with a pass accuracy of 89.7%, whereas Panama completed 120 passes with 70.8% accuracy. England also had more successful final third passes, totaling 83 compared to Panama’s 10.

Defensively, Panama committed 10 fouls, while England committed 3. England won 90% of their tackles, compared to Panama’s 57.1%. Panama made 25 clearances, and England made 9.

In Group L, England is currently in the 2nd position, and Panama is in the 4th position. In another Group L match, Croatia was leading Ghana 1-0 at half-time, with Petar Sucic scoring in the 31st minute. As things stood at half-time, this result would mean Croatia would win the group.

The assistant manager for England, Anthony Barry, commented on the nature of the tournament, stating that there are no easy games in the World Cup.

Match Officials

The match was officiated by Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al Jassim as the referee. The Video Assistant Referee was Juan Lara. The assistant referees were Taleb Salem H. A. Al Marri and Saoud Ahmed Saoud Abdulla Al Maqaleh. The fourth official for the game was Sandro Schärer, with Khamis Al Marri serving as the Assistant VAR Official.

Source: bbc.co.uk