In brief
- England beat Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener in Arlington, Texas.
- Uzbekistan took on Colombia in the final match of the day in Mexico City.
Colombia beat World Cup debutants Uzbekistan 3-1 in their opening Group K match on Thursday, thanks to an inspired performance from Luis Díaz at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.
In the first half, the Colombians were clearly the better team, Uzbekistan ceding far too many chances against a dangerous opponent.
Bayern Munich star Díaz saw an opportunity in the 43rd minute, picking out a sprinting Daniel Muñoz with a gorgeous pass. Muñoz only needed the gentlest of touches to send the ball home, and did.
As the teams trooped back to the dressing room at half-time, the match looked to be one-way traffic. Uzbekistan were being soundly beaten and didn't seem to have an answer.
That all changed in the second half, when Uzbekistan returned from the break looking like a different team. Whatever coach Fabio Cannavaro said to them in the dressing room had clearly worked. Their tempo was up, their play was considerably better, and the Colombians suddenly found themselves facing a much more aggressive press from their opponents.
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Uzbekistan punctuated this by going level in the second half. A bit of a scruffy goal, it began with an optimistic strike from Eldor Shomurodov that was fumbled by Colombian keeper Camilo Vargas. Abbosbek Fayzullaev quickly put himself into the fray and headed the goal home to take the game to a goal apiece.
Colombia looked to take back control, and former Liverpool star Díaz struck in the 65th minute to put his side ahead.
Colombia's third and final goal came at the death, nine minutes into extra time, when Jaminton Campaz sent a header into the bottom corner from a beautiful cross by substitute Cucho Hernández.
Uzbekistan, which had placed Colombia under sustained pressure in the latter stages, kept pushing. Midfielder Behruzjon Karimov rattled the bar with a long-range rocket in the 100th minute that would have been a contender for goal of the tournament had it gone in.
But that was almost the last play of the game as Colombia wrapped up the win.
The match takeaways: Uzbekistan are a much better team than their first half of play would suggest, and the Colombians look likely to be a menace as they progress further into the tournament.
The win puts Colombia top of a group that also features Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who drew 1-1 earlier.
Ghana score a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama
Caleb Yirenkyi scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, sending thousands of Ghanaians in Canada's largest city into a frenzy and settling an otherwise attritional battle.
Both sides largely struggled to generate chances in the first half after Panama striker Cecilio Waterman's second-minute attempt was steered away by outstretched Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi.
The Black Stars didn't attempt a shot on goal through the first half.
The second half played out under steady rain at the Toronto Stadium but saw more sustained attacking play.
Cristian Martinez triggered a massive roar from the loud Panamanian contingent when he lashed a shot into the side-netting in the 60th minute.
But the match looked headed for a scoreless draw until Yirenkyi put the Black Stars ahead.
Ghana's veteran coach Carlos Queiroz turned to his side's fans after the goal, urging them on in celebration.
Queiroz only took charge of the Black Stars a couple of months before the start of the tournament.
Thursday's fixture made him only the second coach to appear in five consecutive World Cups, after leading Portugal in 2010 and Iran in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Loud boos rang out across the crowd of nearly 43,000 during the second-half hydration break under pouring rain.
Ghana triumphed despite being without Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial on rape charges in Britain. Canadian authorities denied him a World Cup visa over the case.
Harry Kane steers England to 4-2 victory over Croatia
A brace from Harry Kane saw England begin their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Thursday morning AEST.
The English captain gave his team the lead twice in the first half — the first goal from a retaken penalty — but Croatia fought back on both occasions, with goals from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa ensuring the score was level at half-time.
The penalty was given after Croatia's captain, Luka Modric, dangled a leg and caught Noni Madueke in the box.
Kane saw his unconvincing penalty saved by Dominik Livakovic, only for French referee Clement Turpin to order a retake after video replays deemed the stopper had come off his line.
Goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford in the second half ensured England's win in the Group L opener before a 70,000-person crowd at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The encounter was a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final, which Croatia won 2-1 after extra-time, although England have since had the edge against one of the older squads at the tournament in North America.
England are among the favourites in this World Cup after a string of near-misses at recent tournaments, but history weighs heavily on a side that last won the World Cup on home soil in 1966.
Ronaldo fails to shine as Portugal held to draw with DR Congo
Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo played in a record-equalling sixth World Cup, but his Portugal side were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Portuguese great Ronaldo, 41, equalled the record set on Wednesday by his old nemesis Lionel Messi, but he found the going tough against a resolute Congolese defence in Houston.
João Neves opened the scoring for Portugal in the first half, but Yoane Wissa of English Premier League club Newcastle equalised with a headed goal in first-half injury time to give the Congolese their first-ever World Cup point.
The DRC's achievement was even greater given that their preparations have been disrupted by the Ebola outbreak in their country.
"It is a tremendous source of pride to have earned DR Congo’s first-ever point at the FIFA World Cup, as well as its first goal," their coach, Sebastien Desabre, said.
"I am very proud of my players because they represented the Congo in a very positive way and the entire country deserves it."
Several Portugal players, meanwhile, were wearing wrist bands in tribute to late team-mate Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car crash last year.
Ronaldo had a tough act to follow after Messi scored a spectacular hat-trick for Argentina on Tuesday to equal the all-time World Cup goalscoring record, making a mockery of his 38 years.
Ronaldo didn't speak to reporters after the game, but posted about the match on X.
"It wasn't the start we wanted, but this is far from over," he wrote.
"Head up and focus on the next game."
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Kane revealed that England's German coach Thomas Tuchel had addressed the players at half-time.
"The manager gave us a speech at half-time just to say, look, if we lose, we lose. We're losing our way," Kane said.
"And I think you saw that, the way we come out in the second half. We went full gas. And they couldn't live with it."
In the last match of the day, first-time qualifiers Uzbekistan are tackling Colombia at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in Group K, the same group as Portugal.
— With reporting by Agence France-Presse and Reuters news agencies.
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