Jude Bellingham rescued England once more at MetLife Stadium, scoring one goal and creating another as Thomas Tuchel's side edged past Panama 2-0 to avoid a potential round-of-32 meeting with Portugal.

For over an hour, England were flat — short on ideas, accuracy, and cutting edge against opponents ranked 40th in the world. Then Bellingham stepped in and changed everything.

Bellingham's decisive impact

The 22-year-old has now played four major tournaments and continues to attract fierce scrutiny, yet he absorbs the pressure and delivers. On this occasion he was comfortably the standout player on the pitch — and he did so filling an unfamiliar No. 8 role in the absence of Declan Rice, whom Tuchel wisely rested with a suspension-threatening booking hanging over him.

Bellingham's first-half display showed his full range: tenacious in the tackle, crisp in the pass, and inventive in his link-up play with Marcus Rashford on the left. When Bellingham was a teenager at Birmingham City's academy, his coach Mike Dodds told him he could operate in any midfield position. He proved it here.

The goals

England's breakthrough arrived just after the hour mark. Bukayo Saka delivered a corner from the left and Bellingham was too sharp and powerful for Jorge Gutierrez, wrapping his left foot around the defender to finish from seven yards past Orlando Mosquera.

Within five minutes, England were further ahead. Bellingham played the architect this time — holding the ball, reading Harry Kane's run, then lifting a left-footed delivery into the box. Kane wanted it more than Andres Andrade, rising to steer a powerful header home. It was Kane's 11th World Cup goal, an England record, moving him clear of Gary Lineker.

England's limitations exposed

The victory carried a cost. Jarell Quansah, deputising at right-back, was forced off after the first goal through injury. His replacement, Djed Spence, now appears to be England's only available fit right-back in the United States.

Panama's compact 5-4-1 mid-block frustrated Tuchel's attackers for long stretches, and England were vulnerable on the counter. Marc Guehi — twice — and Ezri Konsa read those situations smartly to snuff out threats from Tomas Rodriguez.

Tuchel shuffled his pack late on: Noni Madueke replaced Saka, Eberechi Eze came on for Bellingham — protected for a probable round-of-32 clash with Senegal in Atlanta — and Jordan Henderson entered to add experience. Ollie Watkins was introduced as Kane was managed off ahead of the knockouts.

A reminder of what Bellingham means

England spent much of the opening 45 minutes drawing boos from their own fans — a far cry from the 5-0 rout of a group-stage opponent eight years ago in Nizhny Novgorod. But Bellingham transformed the mood, and England now head to Atlanta with momentum.

With Bellingham in this form, the harshest criticism levelled at him looks as hollow as it always has. England will need him — and the rest of the squad — to raise their game considerably if they are to go deep in this tournament.