DR Congo Make History vs Portugal as England Edge Croatia in World Cup Openers

The 2026 FIFA World Cup roared to life on June 17 with two dramatic encounters in the state of Texas. Group favorites Portugal were left stunned by a historic DR Congo side in Houston, while England and Croatia traded blows in a six-goal spectacle in Arlington.

Portugal 1–1 DR Congo: A historic night in Houston

At NRG Stadium, DR Congo secured the most famous result in their football history. The final score read Portugal 1, DR Congo 1 , but the numbers only begin to tell the story .

João Neves gave Portugal the dream start they wanted. In just the sixth minute, the midfielder rose to head home a cross from Pedro Neto, putting the Group K favorites ahead . What followed was an exercise in frustration for Roberto Martínez's side. Portugal would not manage another shot on target for the entire match . Cristiano Ronaldo, playing in his record sixth World Cup, missed two clear chances to secure a winner .

Instead, the night belonged to DR Congo. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Yoane Wissa met a cross from Arthur Masuaku and headed past Diogo Costa, sparking wild celebrations . The goal was not just an equalizer—it was DR Congo's first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup finals . The draw also secured their first-ever World Cup point .

How Group K stands after Matchday 1

With Uzbekistan vs. Colombia still to play after this match, the current standings are tight :

Pos	Team	GP	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	DR Congo	1	0	1	0	0	1
2	Portugal	1	0	1	0	0	1
3	Uzbekistan	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Colombia	0	0	0	0	0	0

England 4–2 Croatia: Kane ties record in six-goal classic

If the Houston match was a tactical stalemate, the Group L opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington was a full-blown rollercoaster. England ultimately ran out 4-2 winners, but not before Croatia twice fought back to threaten Thomas Tuchel's debut .

Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute—but only after a dramatic sequence. His initial effort was saved by Dominik Livaković, only for the Croatian goalkeeper to be penalized for leaving his line early. Kane made no mistake with the retake .

Croatia responded. Martin Baturina leveled the match at 1-1 in the 36th minute with a well-taken strike . Kane restored England's lead just before halftime, heading home a Declan Rice corner for his second goal of the night and his 10th career World Cup goal. That tally drew him level with Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer at World Cup finals .

Yet Croatia were not done. In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Petar Musa made it 2-2, sending the teams into the break level .

England needed just two minutes of the second half to regain control. Jude Bellingham struck early to make it 3-2 . Djed Spence nearly extended the lead further , and Marcus Rashford finally put the game to bed in the 85th minute with a precise finish from a Bukayo Saka assist, sealing a 4-2 victory .

How Group L stands after Matchday 1

With Ghana and Panama yet to play their opener, the group table currently reads :

Pos	Team	GP	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	England	1	1	0	0	+2	3
2	Ghana	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Croatia	1	0	0	1	-2	0

What the results mean moving forward

For Portugal, the draw against DR Congo is a significant setback. As Group K favorites, dropping two points on Matchday 1 puts immediate pressure on their remaining fixtures against Uzbekistan and Colombia . The lack of cutting edge—one shot on target all game—will be a major concern for Martínez.

For DR Congo, the result is transformative. Already viewed as tournament debutants in terms of real impact, earning a point against Portugal gives them a genuine chance to push for a knockout-stage berth for the first time. The round of 32 format, which allows the eight-best third-place teams to advance, means every point is precious .

For England, the win is an ideal though imperfect start. Tuchel's side showed attacking firepower and resilience to respond twice after being pegged back, but conceding two goals will raise defensive questions. Kane's record-tying performance and Bellingham's decisive impact position them strongly to control Group L.

For Croatia, a defeat but not a disaster. Zlatko Dalić's side demonstrated their characteristic fight and technical quality, and zero points from their toughest group match does not end their hopes. Wins against Ghana and Panama would almost certainly see them through.