Panama arrive at Saturday’s World Cup group game as a relatively unknown quantity, but Thomas Christiansen’s side have shown enough to suggest England cannot afford complacency.
With four points from two games, England will be looking to seal top spot in their group, but Panama have threatened in both of their matches so far.
Against Ghana and Croatia, there were sustained periods when Panama genuinely looked the better side, despite their results failing to reflect that quality.
The absence of Adalberto Carrasquilla, arguably their best player, has severely hampered their ability to convert impressive performances into goals.
Christiansen, the former Leeds United manager, has deployed his side in multiple shapes depending on which phase of play the game is in.
Panama press aggressively in a 4-4-2 from opposition goal-kicks, but this quickly transitions into a 5-3-2 mid-block when opponents retain possession higher up the pitch.
As Croatia grew into their match against Panama, Christiansen’s side dropped even deeper, shifting into a disciplined 5-4-1 with a lower defensive line.
That flexible approach makes Panama a genuinely tricky puzzle for Thomas Tuchel’s England to unpick on Saturday afternoon.
England have shown throughout this tournament that they thrive when opponents push up the pitch and leave space in behind for their forwards to exploit.
It was in the 93rd minute that Panama conceded against Ghana as they chased a winner, pressing high and getting punished when the ball was played quickly into the channels.
Against Croatia, it was clear that Tuchel’s game model is similarly built upon teasing opponents out of a stubborn defensive shape before striking with pace in behind.
England suffered against Ghana precisely because Carlos Queiroz’s men sat deep without applying forward pressure, keeping their side compact between attack and defence and denying Tuchel his preferred conditions.
Panama represent something of an in-between version of Ghana and Croatia defensively, and their approach on Saturday will be critical in determining how the game unfolds.
By playing four midfielders rather than five in their 5-4-1, Panama will be unable to cover the width of the pitch as effectively as Ghana managed with their five-man midfield.
This makes it easier for opposition defenders to find their full-backs or wide midfielders by moving the ball quickly from one side to the other, and playing around Panama looks to be England’s most promising avenue.
Croatia’s only goal in their win over Panama came from exploiting exactly this weakness, with a centre-back finding right-back Josip Stanisic outside the width of Panama’s midfield.
Tuchel was seen shouting at full-back Djed Spence from the touchline against Ghana, encouraging him to pass it into Anthony Gordon before making a forward run to follow his pass.
That movement mirrors precisely how Croatia scored, and it is something Tuchel will hope his players lean into in their third game of the tournament.
Panama’s defensive line also sits higher than Ghana’s did, which opens up the possibility of England playing over them with balls in behind.
Ghana asked Thomas Partey to track Harry Kane throughout their match, and it will be interesting to see whether Panama attempt a similar man-marking strategy on the England captain.
If Kane is given the freedom to roam and drop deep, his ability to play accurate passes into space behind Panama’s higher line could prove a decisive weapon.
When in possession themselves, Panama show strong technical quality, with midfielder Cristian Martinez particularly adept at playing out of pressure in tight spaces.
Their fast attacks tend to conclude in crosses rather than central through-balls, and England’s counter-pressing, which has been one of their biggest strengths in this tournament, will need to remain sharp.
Panama also cannot qualify from the group regardless of their result against England, raising legitimate questions about motivation and how many changes Christiansen might make to his starting lineup.
England should have enough quality to progress, but Panama have demonstrated they are capable of troubling any opponent when they are at their best.
