After a surprising draw with Ghana threatened England‘s reign over Group L, the Three Lions have finally regained their footing. A 2-0 win over Panama in the final group stage match was enough to lead England to the top of the group.
Saturday’s game got off to another scoreless start, before Jude Bellingham broke through in the 62nd minute with a left-footed volley off a corner kick. Five minutes later, Harry Kane, now un-cursed, scored his third goal of the tournament to become England’s all-time World Cup scorer.
England’s victory also marks the end of the road for Panama. And after a late goal was called back due to VAR, Panama also ends as the only team in the 2026 tournament without a goal — and the first nation to do so at a World Cup since 2010.
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With England leading, the match between Croatia and Ghana had higher stakes. Both teams entered with a likely path to the knockout round; Ghana was already through, and any number of points would have been enough to help Croatia advance. But the shot for the top of the table, and a more favorable path through the bracket, was within reach for both teams.
With a long, powerful shot, Petar Sučić gave Croatia a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute, briefly putting the team at the top of the group standings. It then took until the 73rd minute for Ghana to find an equalizer, but they finally got it with Derrick Luckassen tapping in a soaring free kick from Ernest Nuamah — though a lengthy VAR review for offsides nearly called it back.
Croatia responded quickly after the referees ruled to let the goal stand, as Nikola Vlašić got his head on a corner kick to re-take the lead. The 2-1 victory was enough for Croatia to finish the group as a runner-up, with Ghana settling for a third-place finish.
World Cup Round of 32 bracket
CLICK TO ENLARGE: World Cup 2026 Round of 32 (Yahoo Sports illustration)
Group L table, results
|
W |
D |
L |
GD |
GF |
TCS |
Pts |
||
|
1 |
England |
2 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
-2 |
7 |
|
|
2 |
Croatia |
2 |
1 |
5 |
-2 |
6 |
||
|
3 |
Ghana |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-2 |
4 |
|
|
4 |
Panama |
3 |
-4 |
-5 |
Wednesday, June 17: England 4, Croatia 2
Wednesday, June 17: Ghana 1, Panama 0
Tuesday, June 23: England 0, Ghana 0
Tuesday, June 23: Panama 0, Croatia 1
Saturday, June 27: England 2, Panama 0
Saturday, June 27: Croatia 2, Ghana 1
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Who will England, Croatia play in knockout round?
Group L winner: England
Matchup: England vs. Group I/K third place team
Time: Noon ET
Date: Wednesday, July 1
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Group L runner-up: Croatia
Matchup: Croatia vs. Group K runner-up
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Date: Thursday, July 2
Location: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
Will Ghana make the knockout round?
Ghana had already punched its ticket to the next round earlier this week, with the team’s four-point showing guaranteeing a second- or third-place berth no matter the result against Croatia. A draw would’ve been a preferred result for the Black Stars, who could’ve ended second in the group; as it stands, though, Ghana is at the very top of the third-place table and will learn its opponent once the rest of the field is settled.
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Can this group produce a World Cup winner?
England’s performance on Saturday puts a little more hope on the Three Lions’ ability to go far in the tournament. The draw with Ghana certainly dampened some spirits, as England’s chances were frustratingly futile, but the win over Panama — though admittedly not the toughest opponent — restores some confidence in the English squad’s strengths on the attack. Of the three teams advancing from the group, England has the best odds, at +750 — the fourth best in the field.
Expectations are not quite as high for Croatia (+11000), which might be a mistake: The Blazers have made their way to the semifinals three times in their short World Cup history, including a runner-up finish in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2022. Ghana (+40000), meanwhile, will hope for an early upset, but is not expected to go very deep into the knockout.
