Portugal rises, England waste chances, Colombia grind out Congo DR win

Yoane Wissa’s 45+5 equalizer in Houston turned Portugal’s opening round into a warning shot, canceling João Neves’ sixth-minute goal and giving Congo DR its first World Cup goal and first World Cup point. England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in Dallas looked more convincing on the scoreboard than in the flow of the game, while Colombia’s 3-1 start against Uzbekistan gave it the cleanest early route through Group K. The day changed the standings less than the mood around them: Portugal proved it could absorb pressure, England still carried finishing questions, and Colombia left with the best tournament position.

Portugal had entered its second Group K match under strain after dropping points to Congo DR, and Wissa’s stoppage-time strike made that first-round stumble count for more. Neves had put Portugal ahead early, but the late concession erased what looked like a controlled start. For Congo DR, the draw was historic, its first goal and first point in FIFA World Cup play, and the result forced Portugal to treat every remaining minute in Group K as decisive rather than comfortable.

England, by contrast, opened its campaign with a result that underlined both power and unfinished business. Harry Kane scored twice, Jude Bellingham added another and substitute Marcus Rashford finished the 4-2 victory over Croatia, but Martin Baturina and Petar Musa both found responses for Croatia and kept the match from settling cleanly. It was England’s third straight opening win at a World Cup, yet the defensive looseness and the chances left on the table left Thomas Tuchel’s side with work still to do even after collecting three points.

Colombia took the sharpest step forward. Luis Díaz scored once and set up another in the 3-1 win over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca in Ciudad de México, giving the South Americans early control of Group K against World Cup debutants. FIFA’s schedule then put Colombia against Congo DR in Guadalajara on June 24 and against Portugal in Miami on June 27, a sequence that makes the group’s next few days decisive for qualification. In a 48-team tournament spread across 104 matches and 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Colombia’s opening performance looked efficient enough to travel.