Portugal stumble, England shine and Colombia stay alive at World Cup

Yoane Wissa’s stoppage-time equalizer in Houston denied Portugal a win and gave Congo DR its first World Cup goal and first point, after João Neves had struck in the sixth minute. The 1-1 draw on June 17 showed Portugal’s early control but also its inability to finish the job, while Congo DR left with a landmark result that changed the tone of Group K.

England, by contrast, turned its opening match into a statement in Dallas. Harry Kane scored twice, including a penalty in the 12th minute and another in the 42nd, before Jude Bellingham added a goal in the 47th minute and Marcus Rashford finished Croatia off in the 85th. FIFA described the 4-2 victory as a brilliant start, and the result gave England an opening World Cup win for the third tournament running.

Colombia took a different route in Mexico City, where the 3-1 win over Uzbekistan demanded patience and late control. Daniel Muñoz opened the scoring in the 40th minute, Luis Díaz doubled the lead in the 65th, and Jaminton Campaz sealed it deep into stoppage time at 90+9. FIFA highlighted Díaz’s influence as Colombia marked its return to the World Cup with a victory that kept its campaign moving in the right direction.

The three results now shape a tight Group K picture. FIFA has placed Portugal, Colombia and Congo DR in the same group, with Colombia set to meet Congo DR on June 24 and Portugal on June 27 in Miami. For Portugal, the Houston draw offered signs of a stronger level without the full reward. England left Dallas with a cleaner verdict, and Colombia stayed alive through a performance built on pressure, pace and a late finish.