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Kane has eight goals in his last five games for England

Stones scores first two England goals; Lingard nets stunner

England qualify for last 16 of World Cup

Panama knocked out

England battered Panama 6-1 in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, as the Three Lions qualified for the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup with a group game to spare.

[ SCENARIOS: Who needs what, to finish where, in final round of group games ]

John Stones and Harry Kane both scored doubles (with headers and penalty kicks respectively) and Jesse Lingard scored a stunner in a stunning first half performance. Kane then completed his hat trick in the second half as he leads the World Cup in scoring with five goals.

This marked the first time England had scored four goals in a World Cup game since 1966, while Panama have crashed out of their first-ever World Cup after conceding nine goals and scoring just once through Felipe Baloy’s late consolation.

[ MORE: Latest 2018 World Cup news ]

England now face Belgium in Kaliningrad on Thursday in a clash for the top spot in Group G with both teams winning their opening two group games.

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Early on Panama carved out a few decent chances but Godoy fired over from a great position on the left and soon after England were ahead.

A Kieran Trippier corner from the right found John Stones completely unmarked and the Man City center back headed home his first goal. England’s first three goals at the World Cup had all come from their first eight corner kicks.

#MundialTelemundo 🎙 Así lo narró @CopanAlvarez : Goooool de #ENG así lo definió John Stones con un cabezazo dentro del área pic.twitter.com/EFRIhdNqUP — Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018

Panama responded well to going behind as Barcenas curled a shot just wide of the far post but then the killer second goal arrived for England midway through the first half. Jesse Lingard made a perfectly timed run towards but was then hauled down by Escobar and a penalty kick was awarded.

Kane slammed home the spot kick to make it 2-0 as England were in cruise control.

Harry Maguire nodded a header onto the roof of the net from another set piece opportunity, while Panama occasionally looked dangerous on the break but didn’t have a shot on target in the first half.

WHAT. A. GOAL. Take a bow, Jesse Lingard. The Manchester United midfielder curls home a stunner as England continue to cruise at the #WorldCup#ENG 4-0 #PAN #ENGPAN pic.twitter.com/Awt3ATu1K1 — Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) June 24, 2018

England then scored a third as Lingard curled home a stunner after fine interplay with Raheem Sterling, and soon it was 4-0. A superbly worked free kick saw Stones head home from close distance and soon after it was 5-0. Both Stones and Kane were wrestled in the box by Panamanian defenders and the latter stepped up to smash home his second and England’s fifth as Panama were in tatters.

[ LIVE: World Cup scores ]

After the break England continued to pour forward and Kane soon completed his hat trick.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek‘s shot from distance deflected off Kane’s heel and flew in and moments later he was substituted with his job well and truly done.

#MundialTelemundo ¡Paren esta masacre! @HKane de forma magistral define el sexto gol de #ENG con un disparo fuera del área sobre #PAN pic.twitter.com/xLdBuU5feC — Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018

Panama had a decent chance to grab a consolation goal but Jordan Pickford flew off his line to close the angle on Murillo, then skipper Roman Torres somehow side-footed wide from a corner late on.

However the consolation did arrive as Baloy finished superbly from a free kick to score Panama’s first-ever goal at a World Cup to at least give their fans something to celebrate in the 6-1 defeat.

#MundialTelemundo ¡HISTÓRICO! Llegó el primer gol de @fepafut en su historia en la Copa del Mundo por conducto de @pinbaloy23 pic.twitter.com/28QGgIAJsa — Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018

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