Photo: Molly Darlington / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
Wednesday's (June 17) World Cup action featured several exciting matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In Houston, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal ended in a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Portugal took an early lead with a goal by Joao Neves, but Yoane Wissa equalized for D.R. Congo with a late header. This result marked D.R. Congo's first point at a World Cup since 1974.
In Arlington, Texas, England triumphed over Croatia with a 4-2 victory. Harry Kane led the charge with a goal, while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also contributed to England's win. Despite a strong performance, Croatia couldn't overcome England's second-half dominance.
In Toronto, Ghana secured a narrow 1-0 win over Panama. Caleb Yirenki scored the decisive goal in stoppage time, giving Ghana a crucial victory in their group stage opener.
Finally, in Mexico City, Colombia defeated Uzbekistan 3-1. Luis Diaz played a pivotal role, scoring and assisting, while Jaminton Campaz sealed the victory with a late goal. Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut, showed resilience but couldn't match Colombia's experience.
These matches concluded the first round of fixtures in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, setting the stage for the next round of group stage games.