Day 7 of the 2026 World Cup offered more drama, more history, and another evening where the armchair viewer's head was on a swivel trying to follow every storyline at once.
England Turn the Clock Back on Croatia
In Dallas, England and Croatia renewed an acquaintance that World Cup fans know well — the two sides met in the 2018 semi-final, with Croatia winning in extra time, and at Euro 2020, where England reversed the result on a famous night at Wembley. This time, England were emphatically in charge. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute — on the second attempt after encroachment — and when Ivan Baturina equalised for Croatia in the 36th minute, it looked briefly as though it might be a long evening. Kane headed England back in front in the 42nd minute, but Andrej Musa stabbed in a second equaliser right at the stroke of half-time to make it 2-2 at the break. Jude Bellingham came out for the second half and looked like a man who had decided the matter personally: his drilled effort in the 47th minute restored the English lead, and Marcus Rashford rolled home a fourth in the 85th, rolling in a low cross from Saka to seal it. England 4, Croatia 2. A fine performance, and a reminder that this England squad has the attacking firepower to hurt anyone.
History Written in Two Cities
One of the more quietly remarkable things about the 2026 World Cup has been the number of nations scoring their first ever World Cup goals, and June 17 gave us two in a single evening. In Philadelphia, Portugal and DR Congo drew 1-1 — João Neves headed Portugal in front in the 6th minute, but Yoane Wissa equalised just before half-time with a header of his own. The celebration from the DR Congo players and staff was something to see — it was their first ever goal at a World Cup, and you could feel what it meant. Across on the other coast, Colombia and Uzbekistan produced a similarly charged moment: Uzbekistan pulled one back against Colombia through Abbosbek Fayzullaev in the 60th minute, the country's first ever World Cup goal. Colombia had led through Daniel Muñoz's 40th-minute volley, and Luis Díaz restored their advantage five minutes after the equaliser, before Jaminton Campaz sealed it with a header deep in stoppage time for a 3-1 final. Two first-ever World Cup goals in two different stadiums. Football as a global sport, writing itself in real time.
Ghana Sneak Through in the Final Seconds
Finally, Ghana edged past Panama in a tense, low-scoring affair decided by Caleb Yirenkyi's injury-time winner — a low cross from Brandon Thomas-Asante that the striker tucked home to send the Black Stars fans into celebrations more fitting of a much bigger goal. On a day of many goals, one quiet late winner still managed to land with full dramatic weight.