* Harry Kane made history heading home his 11th FIFA World Cup™ goal to overtake Gary Lineker as England’s leading goal scorer
* As Colombia and Portugal match ends in a thrilling stalemate while Algeria and Austria experience a rollercoaster ride
Maravi Express
The group stage of the FIFA World Cup™ 2026 finished with a flourish as Lionel Messi extended his goalscoring record, Harry Kane made England history as Colombia and Portugal match ended in a thrilling stalemate with Algeria and Austria experiencing a rollercoaster ride.
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The action began in Group L, with Kane heading home his 11th World Cup goal to overtake Gary Lineker as England’s leading goal scorer in the global showpiece as the Three Lions defeated Panama in a performance inspired by Jude Bellingham’s brilliance.
After suffering a frustrating draw with Ghana, there was some pressure on England to not only win their group but put in a convincing performance ahead of the knockout rounds.
The Three Lions achieved both thanks to a five-minute burst of brilliance from Jude Bellingham in rainy conditions in New York New Jersey. Midway through the second half, the Real Madrid midfielder held off his defender following an England corner, stuck out his left boot and watched the ball bounce into the net.
Then just minutes later, Bellingham was at it again as he crossed for Harry Kane to head home and make England history in the process.
Elsewhere, Colombia’s clash with Portugal in Miami was one of the most-anticipated of the group stage and it lived up to the billing, even though it ended in a goalless draw.
Billed as a heavyweight clash, but neither team could land the knockout blow. Colombia threw everything they had at Portugal, with an astonishing 24 attempts at goal, but were ultimately unable to find the target.
Despite the lack of goals, it was a thoroughly entertaining fixture which will have left the fans happy.
After their maiden goalless draw in the World Cup, Colombia win the group and will now play Ghana in the Round of 32 in Kansas City. Portugal, meanwhile, will travel to Toronto for a meeting with Croatia.
In Kansas City, the Mach between Algeria and Austria was arguably the game of the tournament so far, in which both teams scored deep into stoppage time in a six-goal thriller for the ages.
Riyad Mahrez thought he had secured victory for Algeria when he netted in the 93rd minute, which was his second goal of the game — but Austria had the final word in the 96th minute when Sasa Kalajdzic headed home to complete the chaos.
They now face Spain in Los Angeles in the Round of 32 while Algeria will meet Switzerland in Vancouver as one of the best 3rd-placed sides.—Reporting by FIFA Media; editing by Maravi Express
Group stage results
Group A
Mexico 2-0 South Africa
South Korea 2-1 Czechia
Czech Republic 1-2 South Africa
Mexico 1-0 South Korea
South Africa 1-0 South Korea
Czech Republic 0-3 Mexico
Group B
Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Qatar 1-1 Switzerland
Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Canada 6-0 Qatar
Switzerland 2-1 Canada
Bosnia & Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar
Group C
Brazil 1-1 Morocco
Haiti 0-1 Scotland
Scotland 0-1 Morocco
Brazil 3-0 Haiti
Morocco 4-2 Haiti
Scotland 3-0 Brazil
Group D
USA 4-1 Paraguay
Australia 2-0 Turkiye
USA 2-1 Australia
Turkiye 0-1 Paraguay
Turkiye 3-2 USA
Paraguay 0-0 Australia
Group E
Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador
Germany 7-1 Curaçao
Germany 2-1 Côte d’Ivoire
Ecuador 0-0 Curaçao
Curaçao 0-2 Côte d’Ivoire
Ecuador 2-1 Germany
Group F
Netherlands 2-2 Japan
Sweden 5-1 Tunisia
Tunisia 0-4 Japan
Netherlands 5-1 Sweden
Tunisia 1-3 Netherlands
Sweden 1-1 Japan
Group G
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Iran 2-2 New Zealand
Belgium 0-0
New Zealand 1-3
Egypt 1-1 Iran
New Zealand 1-5 Belgium
Group H
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay
Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde
Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Uruguay 0-1 Spain
Group I
France 3-1 Senegal
Iraq 1-4 Norway
Norway 3-2 Senegal
France 3-0 Iraq
Norway 1-4 France
Senegal 5-0 Iraq
Group J
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Austria 3-1 Jordan
Argentina 2-0 Austria
Jordan 1-2 Algeria
Jordan 1-3 Argentina
Algeria 3-3 Austria
Group K
Portugal 1-1 DR Congo
Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia
Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan
Colombia 1-0 DR Congo
DR Congo 3-1 Uzbekistan
Colombia 0-0 Portugal
Group L
England 4-2 Croatia
Ghana 1-0 Panama
England 0-0 Ghana
Panama 0-1 Croatia
Panama 0-2 England
Croatia 2-1 Ghana
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