he opening fixtures of Group L at the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered heavy drama, with heavyweights England and African powerhouses Ghana both walking away with crucial opening-day victories. Fans inside the packed North American venues were treated to a combined seven goals across two fiercely competitive matches that immediately shook up the early group standings.
Kane’s Historical Double Decides Six-Goal Thriller
At Dallas Stadium in Texas, Thomas Tuchel’s England outclassed Croatia 4-2 in one of the most action-packed opening matches in tournament history. Captain Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 12th minute, slamming home a retaken penalty, before heading home a second off a corner in the 42nd minute to level Gary Lineker’s historic record of 10 World Cup goals for England. Croatia fought back valiantly on both occasions, with Martin Baturina and local Dallas striker Petar Musa beating Jordan Pickford to keep the game deadlocked at 2-2 by halftime. However, England took complete tactical control after the break; Jude Bellingham found the back of the net in the 47th minute, and substitute Marcus Rashford added a composed finish in the 85th minute to seal the three points.
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Stoppage-Time Heroics Secure Ghana Maximum Points
Meanwhile, in Toronto, Ghana opened their campaign with a hard-fought, dramatic 1-0 win over Panama. The match seemed destined for a frustrating, goalless draw as a disciplined Panamanian defense repeatedly thwarted Ghana’s offensive line. Panama posed a dangerous threat on the counterattack, severely testing Ghana’s keeper Lawrence Ati Zigi before he was forced out at halftime due to a collision. Deep into stoppage time, the breakthrough finally arrived. Following a lightning-fast counter-attack, 20-year-old World Cup debutant Caleb Yirenkyi tapped home a precise pass from Brandon Thomas-Asante in the 95th minute. The late strike secures Ghana a flawless start, placing them second in Group L, tied with England on points but trailing slightly on goal difference.