England advance with Kane and Bellingham decisive, but Tuchel has issues to solve

England secured first place in Group L with a 2-0 win over Panama, powered by goals involving Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. The result sends Thomas Tuchel’s side to Atlanta for a last-32 tie against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The victory did not remove doubts around England’s balance. Panama failed to score in any of their three group matches, yet still found openings, and England’s defensive situation is complicated by right-back problems involving Tino Livramento, Reece James and Jarell Quansah.

The clearest positive is the growing influence of Bellingham and Kane as a pair. They have been involved in five of England’s six goals so far, and their connection against Panama suggested a better understanding than England had previously managed between the two stars.

Tuchel’s challenge is to get more from the wider and supporting attackers without turning the team into a two-player attack. Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze are all part of that conversation, especially with the DRC offering a different test after holding Portugal earlier in the tournament.

For editors and supporters, the key question is whether England’s elite match-winners can keep masking structural issues, or whether the knockout rounds will demand a broader attacking contribution and a cleaner defensive platform.