England vs Panama Group G World Cup Picks & Predictions 6/24/2018
World Cup Group G
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
England will play at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium when they take on Panama on Sunday, June 24, 2018 in a Group G matchup. The opening line for this game has England at -590 and Panama at +1500. The total has been set at 2.75.
If England wants to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with at this year's World Cup, they will need to do as they're expected to do and dominate against lower-ranked teams like Panama. This second fixture from Group G should be an interesting matchup as it features an England team that has massive potential and a Panama team that doesn't have a ton of talent but often gives better opponents some problems with their hard-working style.
England
One of England's problems over the last couple of years has been their inability to create good chances in front of goal. Their hope is that with newly-crowned captain Harry Kane up front, that will change and they will be able to open up the floodgates against teams like Panama. Their three-man defense is a bit weak, but it should be good enough to hold Panama to one goal at most.
Dele Alli
The Tottenham attacking midfielder will be tasked with breaking Panama's defense down and either setting up his fellow forwards or finding shots himself. The 22-year-old needs to be a bit more consistent in this World Cup as he is just as often a bystander as he is a star performer. The team needs him to play well if they are going to go far in this tournament.
Danny Rose
England wants to be more aggressive in games like this one, so expect to see Rose flying up the flank to support the attack. He loves to give opposing defenders something to think about, and his pace could be a big problem for Panama to deal with.
Panama
Panama head coach Hernan Dario Gomez decided just before the World Cup that he would use a 5-4-1 formation with this team. Some fans are optimistic, while others worry that a new formation could mess up the team's chemistry. Their hope will be that they can keep scores low with a more defensive approach and maybe even pick up a point or more after frustrating teams. We'll see if it works against a very talented England side.
Fidel Escobar
The youngster is going to be right in the middle of his team's defense, meaning that he will need to play a big role if Panama is going to pull off the upset. Escobar does already have 23 appearances for his national team and he has a reputation for being a calming influence on his teammates. Also be sure to watch out for the 23-year-old's passing ability from the back.
Jaime Penedo
The veteran of the squad, keeper Penedo is a legitimate leader and can still make some big saves at the age of 36. He's probably going to face quite a few shots in this game, so he will need to be at the top of his game to keep his country in it. Even if Panama does lose this game, you can expect Penedo to have yet another solid performance for his country.
Key England Injuries
No key injuries to report
Key Panama Injuries
No key injuries to report
Who will win tonight's England/Panama World Cup game against the spread?
Tony's Pick: Take England -590
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