World Cup Jersey Shore Diary: Greetings From Asbury Park and the legendary Stone Pony before England beat Panama at MetLife

World Cup Jersey Shore Diary: Asbury Park and Stone Pony before England beat Panama at MetLife

A memorable Friday night on the Jersey Shore after paying a pilgrimage to the Stone Pony & Asbury Park in honour of my idol Bruce Springsteen before England beat Panama at the MetLife on Saturday

Greetings From Asbury Park! And the MetLife Stadium…

I write this in the early hours of Sunday morning after England finally broke down plucky Panama to seal top spot in Group L in New Jersey.

Two second half goals from England were enough to see off the spirited challenge of Los Canaleros (The Canalmen) in front of a sellout crowd of 80,663 at a rainy MetLife Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal trio Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze featured as Three Lions beat Panama 2-0 to find out their Round of 32 opponents.

Saka provided the cross for Jude Bellingham to break deadlock as England eased past the obdurate Central American side with pedigree of their own after finish runners-up in the CONCACAF Cup back in 2023.

Thomas Tuchel’s side had previously struggled to break down a Panama side with five at the back when out of possession, before Jude Bellingham steered the ball home from Saka’s corner, as the Three Lions went 1-0 up in the 62nd minute at the home of the New York Giants.

Real Madrid star Bellingham then played provider for Harry Kane to double England’s lead five minutes later.

With the match won, Madueke replaced Saka to come on for his Arsenal teammate, while Eze replaced Bellingham with 19 minutes remaining, as Tuchel’s unbeaten side topped Group L, with seven points from three games.

England now face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Round of 32 knock-out clash Atlanta on Wednesday, July 1.

Asbury Park and The Stone Pony on Friday evening

I paid a pilgrimage to the other side of Jersey on Friday evening to visit the legendary Asbury Park beach town, home to the equally legendary Stone Pony, where my musical idol Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played when they were busy trying to make a name for himself.

It was a lifetime’s ambition to visit Asbury Park and the Stone Pony, and they didn’t disappoint. in fact I loved every single second.

Despite it being overcast I strolled along the boardwalk, taking in the atmosphere and the Springsteen-related references such as Madam Marie’s (my pic below), the famous boardwalk fortune teller immortalised in "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy), from his second album The Wild, the innocent and the E Street Shuffle.

"Spirit in the Night" from his first album, his seminal 1973 recording, Greetings From Asbury Park, which described the joyfully exuberant, chaotic and rebellious Jersey Shore of his youth, not to mention the video for the title track of his stunning 1987 album Tunnel of Love being filmed at the Asbury Park boardwalk and pier.

I was so overjoyed to be there. As I was when I headed to the Stone Pony, not least, because to my delight, the outside stage was hosting a music festival. To be there at the live music venue where Springsteen made his name was magical. And utterly wondrous, awe-inspiring and, to be, fair such good fun, as I somehow managed to tick off another long-held ambition off my bucket list.

So, please enjoy the shots from my never-to- bed forgotten trip to a place that lives long in Springsteen lore, and in the consciousness of most fans, cheers

Madam Marie’s. Asbury Park. CREDIT: Layth (@laythy29)