The 2026 World Cup group stage delivered another day of surprises as England secured a strong 4–2 win over Croatia,
while Portugal were held 1–1 by DR Congo, who continue their impressive debut return to the tournament after 52 years.
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Portugal opened the scoring early through João Neves, but failed to maintain control as DR Congo grew into the match
and found an equaliser before half-time through Yoane Wissa. Despite dominating possession, Portugal struggled
to create clear chances and were frustrated by a disciplined Congolese defence.
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In contrast, England produced a more complete attacking performance against Croatia. After a tight and physical first half,
the Three Lions pulled away in the second period, with goals from Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham
and Marcus Rashford sealing an entertaining victory in a high-intensity match.
The results leave Group dynamics interesting early on, with favourites already being tested and
underdogs showing they can compete at the highest level.
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One thing is clear:
this World Cup is already proving that no match is guaranteed — even the biggest teams
are being pushed to their limits from the very start.
