Lionel Messi scored his sixth objective of the 2026 World Cup, Harry Kane despatched England high of their group, and Iran exited the event.
Revealed On 28 Jun 2026
Lionel Messi turned the primary participant to attain in seven consecutive World Cup matches as Argentina continued their successful streak, whereas England defeated Panama 2-0 on Saturday to clinch the highest spot of their group.
England have arrange a last-32 conflict with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African underdogs who’re by way of to the knockout rounds for the primary time.
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Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored the objectives in a laboured victory for England on the New York New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey, clinching first place in Group L and a date with the DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday.
DR Congo superior after a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in Atlanta – their first-ever victory in a World Cup match – that noticed them end third in Group Ok as among the best third-placed groups.
Colombia topped Group K after holding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to a 0-0 attract Miami. The consequence means the Portuguese will now face Croatia within the final 32 and a possible assembly with European champions Spain within the final 16.
‘We are going to step up’: England coach Tuchel
England had been made to work onerous by a well-organised Panama group, and appeared to be heading for a repeat of their lacklustre 0-0 draw with Ghana, till Bellingham opened the scoring on 62 minutes earlier than offering an help for Kane 5 minutes later.
“It was what we anticipated: a troublesome match in opposition to a bodily opponent,” England supervisor Thomas Tuchel stated.
“They’re a tough group to attain in opposition to, and we had been the one group to create this quantity of probabilities and rating twice,” Tuchel added, earlier than confidently predicting that England would enhance in the course of the knockout section.
“We are going to step up,” the German stated. “The larger the video games get, the larger we’ll get.”
Croatia battle previous Ghana
Croatia, in the meantime, claimed second place within the group behind England with a 2-1 victory over Ghana in Philadelphia. Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic scored the objectives for Croatia, as Ghana had been compelled to accept third.
Croatia’s win extinguished Scotland’s hopes of compacting into the final 32 as among the best third-placed groups, sealing their elimination from the event. Scotland supervisor Steve Clarke promptly resigned.
Friday’s outcomes had already assured England, Croatia and Ghana a spot within the knockout rounds, with the one subject to be settled being the order of qualification.
Croatia face Portugal in Toronto on Thursday.
Messi scores off the bench as Argentina high group
Messi scored his sixth objective of the 2026 World Cup as a largely second-string Argentina ended their group marketing campaign with a 3-1 victory over Jordan. Argentinian maestro Messi scored his record-extending nineteenth profession World Cup objective after showing as a second-half substitute in Arlington, Texas.
Reigning champions Argentina, who topped Group J with three wins in three video games, face Cape Verde within the subsequent spherical after the island nation turned the smallest country to qualify for the knockout phases of the competitors.
Austria and Algeria drew 3-3 to conclude the group-stage motion, as each moved into the spherical of 32. The draw additionally confirmed Iran’s elimination, a day after they held Egypt to a draw of their remaining group sport.
The Austrians equalised six minutes into added time by way of Sasa Kalajdzic to avoid wasting their World Cup skins, however the Iranians might not be among the best third-placed groups and bowed out.
Austria completed second in Group J and can face Spain within the knockout stage, whereas Algeria superior as among the best third-placed sides and can meet Switzerland.
