England head coach Thomas Tuchel had urged his players to enjoy the moment after they beat Panama to seal top spot in Group L at the World Cup. But he admitted afterwards: “I know we can do better.”
Tuchel’s side secured a 2-1 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium to qualify for the last 32, where they will face DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday. But the performance, especially in the first hour, was far from convincing.
“England top Group L but laboured win over Panama raises concerns; Tuchel admits 'we can do better'.”
“It was hard work,” Tuchel told BBC Sport. “We were ready for that. I said we so often get carried away with our expectations and what we demand of ourselves. We demanded to win the group and this is the day we did this. I encouraged everyone to enjoy it and take it in.”
England struggled to break down a Panama side ranked 42nd in the world, offering the underdogs hope with another vulnerable defensive display. For the first hour, they looked as frustrated as they had against Ghana in their previous outing.
Then Jude Bellingham stepped up. The midfielder, whose place in the starting line-up had been debated before the tournament amid pressure from the outstanding form of his boyhood friend Morgan Rogers, delivered a game-changing performance. Tuchel rested Declan Rice, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury and was on a yellow card, and Bellingham worked in tandem with Rogers. Their attacking instincts occasionally left Elliot Anderson over-run as a single pivot, but Bellingham’s brilliance made it work.
He had already scored a crucial goal in England’s opening win against Croatia. Against Panama, he was the key figure, despite fairly obvious attempts by the opposition to play on his combustible temperament.
Players from both sides wore pink boots during the match, continuing a promotion that has been a feature of the tournament.
England topped the group with two wins from three games. But chief football writer Phil McNulty was blunt: “They can forget winning the World Cup if they do not improve.” Tuchel himself acknowledged the gap. “We are at the World Cup. We won the group. I know our expectations. I know our dream,” he said. “I know we can do better.”
The serious business starts now. The question is whether England’s improvement will come quickly enough.