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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP ≡
The final day of the group stage had six matches and England got what it needed to win Group L, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan and advance to the knock-out round. The scoreless tie between Group K winner Colombia and Portugal was hardly boring, with 37 total shots!
● Group L: England 2, Panama 0 ● Rainy conditions for this match in East Rutherford, with England (1-0-1 W-L-T) on offense immediately and Panama (0-2) waiting for counterattack possibilities. The hydration break came with England taking five shots to one and with 74% possession. But no goals, after none against Ghana in their second game.
England continued with the ball for the remainder of the half and had nine shots to three at halftime and 72% of the ball, but it was still 0-0 against a strong Panama defense.
England’s scoring ace Harry Kane almost scored in the 52nd, but a pass to the front of the Panama’s goal went off his left, then off the leg of a defender and ended up on the top of the net. Kane smashed a right-foot strike from the right side of the box in the 57th that was saved by Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera.
But off a corner by forward Bukayo Saka in the 62nd, midfielder Jude Bellingham was being held by defender Andres Andrade, and as the ball came into the box, he stuck out his left foot and the ball flew into the goal for the 1-0 lead.
Bellingham made the play again in the 67th, this time on a cross from the left side, near the endline, with a looping pass into the middle of the box for Kane, who headed it in for a 2-0 edge. It’s his 11th career World Cup goal, the most in English history. That led to the hydro break, with England at 71% possession and 14-5 on shots.
Panama got a goal from striker Jose Fajardo with a hard shot just inside the box off a breakaway at 90+1, but was called offsides (barely). It ended 2-0 with 68% possession for England and 17-13 on shots.
● Group L: Croatia 2, Ghana 1 ● There were lively moments right away in this game in Philadelphia, with Croatia (1-1) off to the races after Ghana (1-0-1) turnovers, but just two shots in the first 25 minutes to the hydro break, with Ghana holding 52% of possession.
The Croatian offense finally arrived in the 31st on a midfielder Petar Sucic strike from well beyond the top of the box off of a feed from midfielder Mateo Kovacic, for the 1-0 lead. That was the score at half, with Croatia enjoying a 5-1 shots advantage and Ghana not seriously threatening at all.
The teams were sharing possession in the second half and Ghana pushed harder on offense, but Croatia maintaining 53% of the ball and 5-3 on shots. On a free kick by forward Ernest Nuamah from the right side, beyond the top of the box, defender Derrick Luckassen ran onto the ball right in front of the net and scored to tie it in the 73rd, following a video review!
Croatia wanted a response and got a perfect play in the 83rd off a corner by midfield star Luka Modric that came down for midfielder Nikola Vlasic at the back of the formation, who sent the header to the far left corner of the net for a 2-1 lead.
That’s how it ended, withy Croatia finishing at 53% possession and 8-6 on shots and second in the group.
● Group L ● England won two games and topped the group at 2-0-1 and seven points. Both Croatia and Ghana advanced, but the Croatia win to get to 2-1 means they are second and Ghana (1-1-1) was third and moving on as well.
● Group K: Colombia 0, Portugal 0 ● Colombia (2-0) was in excellent position against Portugal (1-0-1) in in hot (85 F) and humid (70%) conditions in Miami Gardens, and the Colombians were on offense with seven shots at the first break, to three for Portugal, even with only 43% of possession.
Portugal found more offense after the break and Colombian keeper Camilo Vargas had to make a great save in the 39th on a point-blank blast by midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Colombia regained the offense right at the end of the half, but it ended scoreless, with Colombia at 55% of the ball and a lively 13-9 on shots.
The second half started with more energy and back-and-forth attacks. Portugal’s scoring star Cristiano Ronaldo was offside and missed a chance wide in the 60th. Colombia’s midfielder Richard Rios had a chance in front of goal in the 62nd, but it went wide. Colombian midfielder Santiago Arias sent a bullet in the 66th, but was saved by Diogo Costa, his sixth save. At the hydro break, Colombia led 18-11 on shots and had 55% of the ball.
Both teams were up and down the field, and Costa made another acrobatic save in the 87th to keep Portugal even. But at 90+1, a header from Davinson Sanchez looked like the game winner, but was called for offsides (barely). It ended scoreless, with 37 total shots in the game – 24 for Colombia – thanks to 54% possession and they win the group.
● Group K: Dem. Rep. Congo 2, Uzbekistan 1 ● The Africans (0-1-1) needed a win in Atlanta to advance. But it was Uzbekistan (0-2) took an early 1-0 lead in the 10th from striker Eldor Shomurodov, who popped the ball over the head of D.R. Congo keeper Lionel Mpasi off a long feed from midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
It didn’t take long for the Leopards to respond, in the 17th, with a score from striker Nathaniel Mbuku and an assist to forward Brian Cipenga, but the goal was rescinded for a prior foul by Mbuku after a review. The hydro break came shortly after, with 54% of the ball for D.R. Congo, but only one shot apiece.
The half ended 1-0, with D.R. Congo up to 64% possession and a 4-2 edge on shots.
Still trying to find a equalizer, the Leopards suddenly had a golden opportunity in the 66th, as striker Yoane Wissa was brought down in the box by Abdukodir Khusanov. Wissa took the penalty in the 68th and scored easily on a pass to the right side of the goal. The Leopards had 64% of the ball at the second hydro break and was up 11-3 on shots.
And they kept coming and got the second goal they desperately wanted from forward Fiston Mayele in the 78th, scoring off a deflected ball off a drive by forward Meschack Elia. And the win was confirmed with another goal for Wissa at 90+1 on a drive from 20 yards out from a left-side pass by Elia, for the 3-1 final. The Leopards had 58% possession and, in the end, dominated the game with 19-3 on shots.
● Group K ● Colombia was 2-0-1 and won the group with seven points, and Portugal at 1-0-2 (5) was second. The impressive performance of D.R. Congo earned them their first advancement at 1-1-1 in their second appearance, and will face England in the round-of-32.
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● Group J: Algeria vs. Austria ● in Kansas City (10 p.m. Eastern)
● Group J: Jordan vs. Argentina ● in Arlington (10 p.m. Eastern)
Reports on these games will be added after the matches have been completed.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
The elimination round-of-32 will start on Sunday (28th) in Inglewood, California, between South Africa and Canada, at noon local time. For Monday and Tuesday:
Monday, 29 June 2026:
● Brazil vs. Japan ● In Houston (1 p.m. Eastern)
● Germany vs. Paraguay ● In Foxborough (4:30 p.m. Eastern)
● Netherlands vs. Morocco ● In Monterrey (9 p.m. Eastern)
Tuesday, 30 June 2026:
● Ivory Coast vs. Norway ● In Arlington (1 p.m. Eastern)
● France vs. Sweden ● In East Rutherford (5 p.m. Eastern)
● Mexico vs. Ecuador ● In Mexico City (9 p.m. Eastern)
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Ticket sales are in for the official Los Angeles Fan Festival from 11-14 June – the first four days of the tournament – at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with 85,023:
● 11 June: 27,343 (Monday)
● 12 June: 20,866 (Tuesday)
● 13 June: 23,722 (Wednesday)
● 14 June: 13,092 (Thursday)
Coliseum spokeswoman Andrea Ambriz noted these are ticket holders only and do not include staff or visitors to the greater Exposition Park area, or the watch party at the adjacent BMO Stadium. Also, “that max attendance was closer to 40K on Monday since people stayed for the all-day festivities.”
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