England captain Harry Kane returned to the scoresheet in style on Saturday, becoming his country's all-time leading goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup just days after a Ghanaian spiritualist claimed to have "released" him from a self-proclaimed curse.
Kane scored his 11th World Cup goal in England's 2-0 victory over Panama, surpassing Gary Lineker's long-standing record of 10 goals. The Bayern Munich striker headed home from a Jude Bellingham cross in the 67th minute to cap another milestone in his remarkable international career.
The goal came four days after Kane endured a frustrating evening in England's goalless draw against Ghana, where he squandered a gilt-edged chance and failed to score despite entering the match in excellent form.
Following that Group L encounter, Ghanaian spiritualist Nana Kwaku Bonsam claimed responsibility for Kane's uncharacteristic miss, insisting he had used supernatural powers to prevent the England captain from scoring against the Black Stars.
"I am the most powerful spiritualist in the whole world. Now, I am going to release Harry Kane so that, his next match, he can score," Bonsam said while performing a ritual after the game.
The spiritualist had made similar claims before the match, saying he was working to stop Kane from scoring as Ghana sought a positive result. His comments attracted widespread attention and even prompted British illusionist Uri Geller to say he would send "positive vibrations" to protect the England striker from the alleged curse.
Whether coincidence or not, Kane rediscovered his scoring touch in England's next outing, producing the decisive header that saw him move clear of Lineker at the top of his country's World Cup scoring charts.
The strike also made Kane only the second England player, after David Beckham, to score at three different FIFA World Cups.
Speaking after the match, the 32-year-old admitted the record held special significance.
"It is a proud one for sure," Kane said.
"I spoke before the tournament about the World Cup being the biggest competition we play as professional footballers, so to get to 11 goals is a proud feeling.
"It is always hard to take in. I just want to enjoy this moment with the team, enjoy being top of the table.
"I never take these moments for granted. Another good milestone to hit, and I hope it is not the last one in this tournament."
England finished top of Group L and will face DR Congo in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, while Ghana take on Colombia as both nations continue their World Cup campaigns.
Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS