England thrash Panama to qualify for knockout stages

England (Supplied)

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Cape Town - Captain Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as England secured qualification to the Round of 16 with a game to spare by thrashing Panama 6-1 in a 2018 Soccer World Cup Group G clash.

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England got off to the perfect start when defender John Stones gave his side the lead with a powerful header from a neatly worked corner-kick.

Striker Harry Kane then doubled the lead from the penalty spot after Jesse Lingard was brought down in the area. Jesse Lingard and Raheem Sterling combined well to give England a commanding 3-0 lead with the former finishing the move off with a curling effort into the top corner.

Stones then grabbed his second goal of the game with a header from close range after an impressively rehearsed set-play routine.

Kane made it 5-0 before the break again from the penalty spot after Panama were punished for holding inside the area from a corner-kick.

The Tottenham striker then rather fortunately completed his hat-trick when a Ruben Loftus-Cheek shot deflected off him and into the back of the net.

Felipe Baloyi then wrote his name down in history when at 37-years-old he became the first player to score a goal for Panama at a World Cup.