The record books show that when Harry Kane last faced Panama, he scored a hat-trick and England won 6-1. It was the 2018 World Cup and the goals gave him an unassailable grip on the Golden Boot. It was the second group game and victory ensured England’s safe passage into the knockout rounds.
What not everyone remembers – although Kane certainly does – is how he completed the hat-trick. It was with one of the luckiest goals of his career. The England captain knew nothing about it because he was facing away from the ball. He merely felt Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s shot from outside the area flick off his heel and loop over the wrong-footed goalkeeper. His first two had come from the penalty spot. “A couple of pens and a lucky goal,” Kane said. “It wasn’t my most beautiful hat-trick. I’ll take that again on Saturday, for sure.”
