Jun 18, 2018 3 min read

Harry Kane scored two goals, including an injury-time header, to give England a 2-1 victory over Tunisia Monday at the World Cup.

Standing alone at the far post, Kane guided a headed pass from Harry Maguire into the net.

The winning goal came at the end of a drab second half in which Tunisia defended deep and nullified England’s attack.

Kane had put England ahead in the 11th minute with a strike from close range after Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Hassen had acrobatically saved a powerful header from John Stones.

Tunisia equalized in the 35th when Ferjani Sassi converted a penalty, shooting beyond the diving Jordan Pickford. The penalty was awarded after Kyle Walker caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with his arm.

Belgium 3, Panama 0: Romelu Lukaku scored two goals in a six-minute span and Dries Mertens put in another to give Belgium a 3-0 win over Panama at the World Cup.

Saddled with massive expectations and a lineup of talent the envy of others in the tournament, Belgium finally showed flashes of being the dominant team worthy of title consideration.

It took a wonderful strike from Mertens to finally relieve some of the pressure. His perfectly struck volley from about 18 yards came in the 47th minute after Panama was unable to clear a free kick.

Lukaku made it 2-0 in the 69th off a pass by Kevin De Bruyne, and scored his second on a breakaway chip over Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.

Panama, which was making its World Cup debut, was unable to reward its thousands of loud, passionate fans with a goal.

FIFA charges Mexico after fans chant anti-gay slur:

FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after its fans used an anti-gay slur during the team’s 1-0 win over Germany.

Some Mexican supporters chanted the slur when Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer prepared to take a goal kick in the 24th minute of Sunday’s game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Fans in Mexico use the chant to insult opposing goalkeepers as they take a goal kick. Widely considered a slur, some argue there is no discriminatory intent.

FIFA did not elaborate on the nature of the disciplinary proceedings and didn’t say when a hearing would take place.

Goalie dislikes World Cup ball: Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary says there is a “problem” with the ball being used at the World Cup and believes he and his fellow shot-stoppers are the “victims of FIFA.”

Three free kicks were scored in the opening four days of the tournament in Russia, as many as in the entire tournament in Brazil four years ago. Two balls burst during the match between France and Australia, and Argentina captain Lionel Messi got the ball changed during a match against Iceland after being unhappy with its condition.

The 45-year-old El Hadary says “we are the victims of FIFA and the ever-developing football. Every four years there are new footballs and the football might be more acceptable to the players than to the goalkeepers.”

The “Telstar 18” ball is being used in Russia, a remake of the “Adidas Telstar” used at the 1970 tournament.

El Hadary, who didn’t play in Egypt’s opening loss to Uruguay, says “this ball has some problems but all the goalkeepers are facing the same problem.”