SARANSK, Russia

Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef ensured their nation’s World Cup slump wouldn’t enter a fifth decade.

Khazri’s hard, rising shot in the 66th minute lifted Tunisia to a 2-1 triumph over Panama on Thursday night. It came about 15 minutes after the Rennes striker’s pinpoint pass produced Ben Youssef ’s equalizer on a redirection off of his right instep.

“We wanted to snatch the victory and I wanted to score and I did,” Ben Youssef said. “This is great day for Tunisia.”

Panama is still looking for a maiden World Cup victory — or draw, for that matter. But it took its first ever lead in World Cup play in the 33rd minute through an own-goal when Jose Luis Rodriguez’s hard, left-footed shot deflected off of Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah.

Both Group G teams were already eliminated going into the match. Tunisia hadn’t won a World Cup game since a 3-1 victory over Mexico in 1978. The Carthage Eagles then failed to win any of their next 13 World Cup matches, a streak that ended in somewhat expected fashion.

Tunisia looked more competitive in losses to England and Belgium than Panama. Tunisia nearly earned a draw with England, but lost on a late goal by Harry Kane.

Tunisia also has more accomplished club professionals in its squad, but it was missing several players because of injuries.

In addition to dealing with the absence of defender Dylan Bronn, Tunisia had to start 33-year-old third-choice goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi because its other keepers were injured.

Statistically, Panama was the worst performer in this World Cup, but coach Hernan Gomez took issue with one reporter suggesting his team was the worst in tournament.

“Please don’t call us the worst team. We are not the worst team. We are a team that is learning and growing,” Gomez said. “You need to respect our team much more. You cannot call us the worst team. That is a lack of respect.”

Belgium 1, England 0

KALININGRAD, Russia — England barely seemed troubled by losing. Belgium appeared to be a reluctant winner.

Such was the curious conclusion to the group stage at the World Cup on Thursday. Neither team needed to win and there was good reason for neither to even want to win.

Belgium did collect the three points, beating England 1-0, and secured first place in the group on Adnan Januzaj’s curling shot. But that might not turn out to be the desirable outcome since the victory diverted Belgium onto the tougher potential path to the final.

Although Belgium gets what appears to be an easier match against Japan in the round of 16, it could get trickier with a victory in Rostov-on-Don on Monday. Brazil, Portugal, France and Argentina are possible future opponents.

Thanks to a pair of opening victories for both, England and Belgium entered the Group G match knowing they were already in the second round. Belgium made nine changes and still won. England lost the top spot after dropping Harry Kane, the tournament’s leading scorer, and seven others.

England coach Gareth Southgate could barely contain his delight in finding himself on the less challenging side of the draw. His team will face Colombia on Tuesday in Moscow, followed by possible matchups against Spain, Russia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

For Southgate, it was as much about ensuring players like Kane did not pick up injuries in a game that wasn’t essential. The leading scorer in Russia with five goals watched the match from the bench. So did Romelu Lukaku, who has scored four for Belgium.