England's goalless draw with Ghana reminded fans of the challenges of facing a compact, well-drilled team. To break down such opponents, England need to play with more variety, better movement, and urgency.

What happened?

England's recent form has been mixed, with a 2W-0D-2L record in their last 4 games, but they are on a 2-game winning run. Their last result was a 4-2 win over Croatia on 2026-06-17.

Why it matters for England

England can expect the same stubborn defending from Panama on Saturday. To overcome this, they will need to create more urgency without rushing, as seen in Paris Saint-Germain's equalizer against Arsenal in the Champions League final.

What comes next?

England's next fixture is against Spain on 2026-09-26, but first, they need to focus on beating Panama. With the right approach, England can break through and secure a win. | Date | Opponent | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-17 | Croatia | 4-2 win | | 2026-09-26 | Spain | - England didn't have enough runners into the half-spaces, enough opposite movements to try to stretch Ghana or someone coming short to feet. So the play became predictable. And with Marcus Rashford brought on sooner, England might have found the moment of magic they needed to win. But England are in a strong position in their group, and with the right tactics, they can overcome Panama's low block and advance in the World Cup.