Panama vs England preview: Group L finale brings England’s top-spot chase to New York, New Jersey
NEW YORK - England’s final Group L match comes to New York New Jersey Stadium with first place still on the line.
About the match
Panama faces England on Saturday, June 27, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.
The match will air on FOX and stream on FOX One.
It is the final Group L match for both teams.
Why this match matters in New Jersey
New York New Jersey Stadium gets a high-profile group finale as England tries to lock down the best possible path into the round of 32.
England enters the match with four points after beating Croatia and drawing Ghana.
Panama enters the finale without a point after losses to Ghana and Croatia.
That makes the stakes very different for each team. England is trying to finish the group in first place. Panama is trying to close its World Cup run with a result against one of the tournament’s biggest names.
England’s path so far
England opened the World Cup with a 4-2 win over Croatia, one of the strongest results in Group L.
The Three Lions followed that with a 0-0 draw against Ghana.
That draw kept England in strong position to advance, but it also left the top of the group unsettled heading into the final matchday.
A win over Panama would put England in position to finish first in Group L, though Ghana’s result against Croatia could still affect the final order.
Panama’s final chance
Panama’s knockout hopes are over, but Saturday’s match still gives the team a major stage.
Panama opened Group L with a 1-0 loss to Ghana, then lost 1-0 to Croatia.
The team has yet to score in the tournament, but it now gets one more chance to leave a mark before heading home.
A result against England would be a major moment for Panama and could complicate England’s path into the knockout stage.
What England needs
England is already in strong position, but the group title is still the main target.
A win would give England seven points and likely send the Three Lions into the knockout stage as Group L winners.
A draw could still be enough to advance, but it may leave England depending on the Ghana-Croatia result to determine whether it finishes first or second.
A loss would create more uncertainty and could force England into a less favorable round-of-32 path.
Players to watch
Harry Kane remains the central figure for England.
Kane scored twice in England’s opening win over Croatia and continues to be the player most likely to turn chances into goals.
Bukayo Saka could also be important if England looks to add more attacking width after being held scoreless by Ghana.
For Panama, Ismael Díaz is one of the attacking players to watch as the team tries to break through before the end of group play.
The New York New Jersey stage
Saturday’s match adds another major international fixture to New York New Jersey Stadium’s World Cup schedule.
England has one of the largest global followings in the tournament, and its final group match is expected to draw attention far beyond the region.
For local fans, it is also a chance to see one of the tournament favorites before the knockout stage begins.
What's next:
After Saturday’s Group L matches, England will know where it stands in the round-of-32 bracket.
Panama’s World Cup will end after the group stage.
The Source: This article was written using information from ESPN, FIFA and FOX Sports.