England 6-1 Panama: 5 Talking Points, World Cup 2018

England thrashed Panama 6-1 in their second World Cup Group G encounter in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday. The Three Lions had scored five goals by half-time itself before taking their foot off the gas in the second half.

A hat-trick by skipper Harry Kane (including two penalties), a brace from John Stones (from two set-pieces) and a stunner from Jesse Lingard saw England qualify for the Round of 16 with a game to spare. Felipe Baloy scored the consolation goal for Panama.

Here are the major talking points from the game.

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#1 England make effective use of set-pieces

John Stones (5) finishes off a set-piece routine involving five English players to score

If there is one thing England have prepared well for, it is set-pieces. Gareth Southgate has drilled the Three Lions well when it comes to taking corners and four goals well-worked goals in two games are proof that his plans are working.

The first game against Tunisia saw Harry Kane score both goals from set-pieces - latching on to the second chance at the post. And against Panama, they got on the scoresheet as early as the 8th minute through a John Stones header.

That is another thing they have got right. With Kane tightly marked on corners, the only other viable targets in the box were the tall centre-backs. Stones and Maguire both won headers that led to Kane's goals against Tunisia and this time an unmarked Stones was easily able to head home the opening goal without any pressure and all the time in the world.

England's corner kicks weren't just hopeful punts into the box. They were taken with purpose and a plan in place to find the right man.

But nothing prepared Panama (or even the fans) for the fourth goal that was so well-worked. A clever routine with chips and diagonal passes saw as many as five players involved before Stones scored his second of the game.

#2 Panama's attempts to physically outmuscle England fail

This ain't rugby - penalty!

When the two teams lined up in the tunnel, one thing was evident. England may have had the technically adept famous players from the Premier League but Panama's players looked the bulkier and stronger of the two sides.

As soon as the match got underway, their only strategy to win the ball back was to try and physically impose themselves. But what they did not count on was that the English players were used to this - week in, week out.

England rarely gave away the ball under pressure and even the 5 ft 7 in Raheem Sterling refused to be bullied off the ball. The Manchester City star has certainly been spending time in the weight room as Panama's defenders simply couldn't brush him off the ball.

The last game saw VAR heavily criticised for not giving Kane a penalty when he was manhandled in the box. This time, presumably under orders from FIFA, the referee kept a keen eye on the players.

He immediately whistled for a penalty when Kane was wrestled to the ground and the English skipper had no qualms about firing the ball into the top corner - the same spot he had picked for the first penalty as well.

#3 Jesse Lingard given freedom to express himself

Jesse Lingard scores from distance

The only change to the lineup Gareth Southgate made was Ruben Loftus-Cheek making the teamsheet instead of Dele Alli. The Tottenham Hotspur star had not recovered from a thigh strain and so the 22-year-old Loftus-Cheek was given a start.

One expected the Chelsea midfielder to dictate proceedings in midfield but he did not grab the opportunity to impose himself and it was Jesse Lingard who stepped up to join the party. The Manchester United midfielder scored a peach of a goal in the 36th minute which he himself helped create.

The 25-year-old drifted to the left while trying to advance the ball forward and nobody marked him when he made an off-the-ball run after giving the ball to Raheem Sterling. Panama's defenders were attracted to Sterling even though he had received the ball with his back to goal.

All he had to do was lay it off into Lingard's path and he took a sublime shot just before three Panama players converged on him for England's first goal from open play in the tournament.

#4 Panama fail to make their chances count

Panama had just two shots on target

The scoreline might flatter England but one can say they deserved those goals. But one complaint Panama fans can have is that their side failed to reduce the deficit when they had their chances.

The Central American side were deployed in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Gabriel Gomez sitting in between the two lines and Blas Perez leading the attack. But their main creator was Barcenas who drifted in from the right flank time and again while right-back Michael Murillo overlapped on the outside.

Their movements caused England problems since they were playing a back-three in a 3-5-2 formation. Lateral passes to Armando Cooper and Anibal Godoy helped them enter the final third and there were nervy moments in England's defence when a couple of shots went narrowly wide.

But Panama's inability to make those chances count is what eventually made the difference between a close game and a blowout win. A consolation goal from 37-year-old Felipe Baloy - Panama's first ever at a World Cup - did little to make a difference and only ensured England would not keep a clean sheet.

#5 England's World Cup starts now

Gareth Southgate has done well but bigger tests await England

Two games. Two wins. The result saw the Three Lions move level with Belgium on six points and the final game between the two will decide who tops the group.

Tunisia and Panama are minnows at the World Cup and England were expected to beat them comfortably - even if Tunisia did make things difficult by nearly hanging on for a draw.

But Southgate will know that the business end of the tournament begins now. Topping the group will be crucial to deciding who they face in the Round of 16.

While Group H is no closer to being decided, they will be wary of facing one of Colombia, Poland, Senegal or Japan. The latter two currently top the group.

Before all that, though, is the supremely-talented Belgium side that has also scored eight goals past Tunisia and Panama, winning their fixtures without having to switch to top gear.

Panama and Tunisia will go home but an exciting final group stage game awaits us when the Red Devils take on the Three Lions - one between two evenly-matched, well-balanced teams.