England sealed first place in Group L and a more favourable route through the knockout bracket with a 2-0 win over Panama in New Jersey, a result that owed everything to the individual quality of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. Bellingham broke the deadlock early in the second half, driving into the box to score the goal that dragged a laboured performance into winning territory, before teeing up Kane for a record-breaking second. The striker’s 11th World Cup goal moved him clear as England’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament, a milestone that underscored his ruthless efficiency. Seven points from a group containing Croatia, Ghana and Panama leaves England unbeaten, yet the sense that they have not approached top gear is inescapable.

For long stretches, England dominated possession but lacked the speed and invention to prise open a compact Panama defence. British television analysts noted a drop in intensity, with the side at times appearing to be pulled down to the level of their opponents. Defensively, gaps appeared that a more clinical side might have exploited, and the sight of Jarell Quansah limping off with an ankle injury deepened a crisis at right-back. Reece James had already been ruled out of the Panama match with a hamstring problem, and Tino Livramento departed the squad before the tournament began. Djed Spence, who replaced Quansah, is now the likeliest starter against DR Congo, though manager Thomas Tuchel retains the option of shifting Ezri Konsa across from centre-back.

Tuchel’s midfield calculations are shifting in a more positive direction. Declan Rice, rested against Panama after taking a heavy blow to the calf in the goalless draw with Ghana, is expected to return to the starting eleven for the last-32 tie in Atlanta. The Arsenal midfielder resumed full training before the squad travelled, and his availability would restore a layer of protection in front of a back line that looked vulnerable. In Rice’s absence, Elliot Anderson partnered Bellingham, but the balance of the side suffered. Analysts in London view Rice’s return as essential if England are to avoid being overrun by a DR Congo team that is expected to pose sterner questions.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney, working as a pundit for British television, sounded a warning about Kane’s workload, pointing to a pattern of fatigue in the latter stages of previous tournaments. Kane was withdrawn in the 84th minute against Panama, a decision Rooney endorsed, urging Tuchel to manage the striker’s minutes with the Golden Boot race and a long campaign in mind. The broader concern, voiced across British media, is that England’s fortunes rest too heavily on two players. If a serious run at this World Cup is to materialise, it will almost certainly be because Bellingham and Kane drive it, but the supporting cast must offer more.

England now travel to Atlanta to face DR Congo on Wednesday, a fixture that will test whether the flaws exposed against Ghana and Panama can be addressed. The knockout stage offers no margin for the kind of disjointed spells that characterised the group phase, and Tuchel’s defensive puzzle remains unsolved. The return of Rice provides one answer, but the right-back conundrum and the reliance on moments of individual brilliance leave the team walking a fine line between promise and peril.