In late June 2018, the third round of the group stage saw England face Panama, who were making their first appearance in the World Cup. The atmosphere for this match was far less somber and tense than the previous one against Belgium.
In the stands, England Team fans' red and white flags waved like a tide, their songs loud and full of anticipation. Oliver stood in the player's tunnel, adjusting the wristband on his wrist.
Head coach Southgate patted him on the back, his eyes filled with clear trust:
"Play relaxed, Oliver, remember what we talked about earlier. Your position can be more flexible, but defensive discipline is the bottom line."
"Yes, Coach!" Oliver nodded vigorously. The bitterness from the previous match against Belgium and the urgency brought by the in-depth post-match review had transformed into a calm and focused strength.
For this match, his starting position as a right winger remained unchanged, but the sense of responsibility on his shoulders and the freedom granted by the coach made Oliver even more clear-headed. At the sound of the opening whistle, the course of the match almost immediately confirmed the huge gap in strength between the two sides. Panama players' pressing was undoubtedly active, but their defensive system appeared fragile and chaotic under the England Team's skilled passing, control, and speed attacks.
England's first goal came very quickly.
In the 6th minute, England pressed on the left flank, and the ball was hastily cleared by a Panama defender to the center, not far away. Ali keenly intercepted the ball near the edge of the penalty area! He didn't hesitate for a moment, looking up and instantly spotting the open space on the right flank. Oliver had already accelerated, shaking off the full-back who was marking him!
"Ollie!" Ali roared, delivering a perfectly weighted ground through ball with the outside of his right foot!
The ball precisely threaded through the fleeting gap between two Panama center-backs. It precisely cut through the defense! Oliver arrived just in time. This ball was relatively comfortable; he didn't need to adjust his stride at all. He lightly nudged the rolling ball forward with his left foot, instantly creating a one-on-one situation.
Facing Goalkeeper Penedo, who had rushed out of his goal with a panicked expression, Oliver became even calmer. He didn't even look at the goalkeeper's diving direction, firmly pushing a low shot with the instep of his right foot. The ball skimmed the grass, incredibly fast and at a tricky angle, rocketing straight into the bottom right corner of the goal.
1-0!
The goal came so easily and gracefully. Oliver spread his arms and ran towards the corner flag, his face showing pure joy at scoring. Ali, Kane, and other teammates rushed over to embrace him in celebration.
This goal came too early, and too easily. It was like a bucket of cold water poured on the already nervous Panama players. England's offense was like a tide, wave after wave.
In the 16th minute, England won a free-kick opportunity on the right side of the attacking third, near the byline.
Trippier stood over the ball, observing the crowd in the penalty area. Oliver didn't crowd into the box to contend for a header; he quietly positioned himself slightly to the right, just outside the penalty area line. Trippier didn't choose to cross directly; he surprisingly delivered a low ball, aiming for the edge of the penalty area. Panama's defensive attention was drawn to the tall players in the box, creating a brief gap in the area where Oliver was located.
The ball rolled quickly. Oliver moved to meet the ball. His right foot, like a whip, met the incoming ball with a flicked shot. The movement was small, but the contact point was extremely precise, and the power was short and concentrated. It had a bit of Kane's shadow. The ball arced low but incredibly swiftly, almost skimming the grass, passing over a chaotic mess of legs in front of the goal, hugging the inside of the left post, and rapidly drilling into the net.
2-0!
Oliver scored his first brace in the World Cup. After scoring, Oliver ran towards the sideline, spreading his arms and running around the field in celebration. Even the teammates on the bench jumped up excitedly. England's scoring show continued.
In the 34th minute, the goal that completely sealed the victory was born: England gained possession in the right-wing area of the attacking third. Oliver received the ball near the sideline, facing a double-team from two Panama players. He didn't choose to force a breakthrough or pass back, but instead calmly looked up to observe. He keenly spotted the open space at the top of the penalty area, where Dier was rapidly surging forward from midfield. This was an excellent opportunity for a long-range shot.
On this play, Dier was in a perfect attacking position.
Oliver lightly pushed the ball forward with the instep of his left foot, delivering a low, ground pass. The ball's speed was neither fast nor slow, its trajectory precisely bypassed the defender in front of him, and it rolled exactly into Dier's sprinting path. Dier arrived in time, without even needing to slow down or adjust. From about twenty-seven or twenty-eight meters from the goal, Dier took one step, swung his right foot, and unleashed a thunderous, powerful shot with all his might.
"Boom!" A dull yet impactful roar echoed through the stadium.
The ball, like a cannonball, with a tearing whistle through the air, rocketed into the top left corner of the goal with unparalleled power and speed. Penedo made a symbolic leap, but he was too far to reach it.
3-0! A world class screamer!
The moment the goal went in, Dier excitedly spread his arms and let out a deafening roar. He turned, his gaze immediately locking onto Oliver, who had provided the assist. Without any hesitation, like a unleashed beast, he sprinted tens of meters towards Oliver on the sideline. Under the gaze of countless cameras and fans, Dier rushed to Oliver, spread his arms, and gave him a solid, powerful bear hug.
He forcefully patted Oliver's back, shouting loudly, "Great play! What a fantastic pass! Oliver!"
Oliver laughed in response, hugging Dier back with equal force. The two embraced in celebration. Before, there had been a subtle, almost imperceptible rift between them during national team training, a sense of distance arising from their club affiliations or subtle competition. After this world-class goal, assisted by Oliver and scored by Dier, and in Dier's sincere embrace, that distance instantly vanished. The chemistry and trust on a football field sometimes only require a brilliant assist and a satisfying goal to be established.
At halftime, the England Team went into the dressing room with a commanding 3-0 lead.
The atmosphere in the dressing room was relaxed and joyful. Southgate praised the team's overall performance, especially highlighting the efficiency of the attacking players and the midfield's courage to push forward for long-range shots, particularly Dier's powerful strike. At the same time, Southgate also reminded everyone to stay focused but not to overexert themselves. The second half began with the England Team still controlling the game.
In the 48th minute, the England Team earned a corner kick.
Trippier delivered a precise inswinging ball, accurately finding Stones, the center-back, lurking at the far post. Stones leaped high, out-jumping the Panama defender beside him, and powerfully headed the ball into the net!
4-0! Stones excitedly ran to the corner flag to celebrate.
With a four-goal lead and the outcome largely decided, Southgate began to make substitutions to protect key players.
In the 52nd minute, Oliver was substituted off, with Lingard coming on as a right winger.
As Oliver left the field, a warm round of applause erupted from the stands. This was both an acknowledgment of his excellent performance of two goals and one assist in the match, and an understanding of his protective substitution. Oliver jogged off the field, high-fived Lingard who was coming on, and then exchanged high-fives with Southgate and each member of the coaching staff on the bench. His face bore a satisfied smile, his eyes clear and relaxed. This match truly brought out their spirit and energy.
The match continued.
In the 61st minute, the England Team was awarded a penalty kick. A Panama player clearly pulled Maguire in the penalty area while defending a corner kick, and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Captain Kane, as the designated penalty taker, confidently stepped up to the spot. He took a calm run-up and struck the ball with his right foot into the bottom right corner. Although Goalkeeper Penedo of Panama guessed the right direction, the ball's speed and tricky angle meant he could only watch it go into the net.
5-0!
In the final stages of the match, in the 78th minute, the active Lingard also got on the scoresheet. He received a pass from a teammate in the center. Facing Panama's not-so-tight defense, Lingard took a touch forward and then unleashed a sudden shot from the edge of the penalty area. A tricky low shot once again beat Penedo.
6-0!
Lingard celebrated with an excited knee slide. At the final whistle, the England Team concluded their group stage journey with a resounding 6-0 victory, putting a perfect end to it. England finished with two wins and one loss, accumulating 6 points, and proudly advanced as group runners-up.
Belgium, with three wins out of three, predictably advanced as group winners. The absolute focus of this match was undoubtedly Oliver, who was directly involved in three goals. He contributed not only goals and assists but also demonstrated mature game-reading ability, precise passing vision, and astonishing shooting technique on the field. The post-match mixed zone was packed. Almost all media cameras were pointed at this new star talent, who had just turned 18.
Oliver uncharacteristically gave a brief interview in the mixed zone, and his remarks remained humble: "I'm very happy to help the team achieve a big win and qualify. The goals are the result of the whole team's effort, especially my teammates who created great opportunities for me. We still need to keep working hard; the knockout stage is the real test."
When asked about his personal goal tally and the possibility of winning the Golden Boot, Oliver smiled and shook his head: "It's too early to talk about that. There are too many superstars in the World Cup. No one knows the outcome until the very last moment."
English media also began their reports.
The Sun: "18-year-old Three Lions Supernova Oliver makes World Cup debut with a crazy show! Perfect link-up with Dier ignites the dressing room! Three Lions storm into knockout stage with 6 goals in one match! Shocks the football world!"
Daily Mirror: "England demolishes Panama 6-0! Oliver shines bright and conquers the World Cup stage! Perfect link-up with Dier breaks the ice! Is the Three Lions' new ace aiming for the World Cup Golden Boot?"
Daily Mail: "Southgate's keen eye for talent! Three Lions Supernova Oliver announces his era with an unparalleled starting performance! England advances proudly as group runners-up, he leads the pack in the Golden Boot race!"
BBC's post-match commentary was even more direct: "Mr. Southgate, please give Oliver more freedom and license to shoot! He has the ability to decide matches! Perhaps we are witnessing the birth of a World Cup Golden Boot winner?"
After this match, on the latest World Cup Golden Boot odds list, Oliver, with three goals, was already tied for the top spot with Belgium forward Lukaku, who also had three goals. England Team fan forums were filled with excited discussions:
"Oliver's finishing is so calm!"
"His passing vision, Superb! That assist for Dier's goal was brilliant!"
"I dare say, in the knockout stage, Southgate will definitely let him play the full ninety minutes! The Three Lions really need his firepower!"
Besides England's Group G, the situations in other groups were also gradually becoming clear. South american powerhouses Uruguay and Brazil also showed strong dominance, advancing strongly with three wins out of three. Brazil has now advanced to the knockout stage as group winners for the tenth consecutive time. Spain, Portugal, France, and other traditional powerhouses also successfully progressed.
The 2018 Russia World Cup, after a goal-scoring frenzy in the final round of the group stage, officially entered the more brutal, suspenseful knockout stage. And within the England Team, that young figure wearing the number 17 jersey will undoubtedly be the most anticipated source of firepower for the Three Lions to challenge for higher goals. Oliver's name was, for the first time, so clearly linked with the supreme individual honor of World Cup Golden Boot.
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