Harry Kane's poor performance and Ghana's mystery curse, World Cup 2026 group stage surprises

In the second group stage round of the football World Cup 2026, England drew only 0:0 with Ghana, with Harry Kane missing several brilliant scoring opportunities. Colombia defeated DR Congo 1:0 and advance from the group with confidence, while Croatia secured a hard-fought 1:0 victory over Panama.

Saturday night delivered an exciting programme for football fans as several important group stage matches took place simultaneously within the 2026 World Cup.

England, Ghana 0:0: Kane fails to score

The biggest surprise came from the match between England and Ghana, which ended in a goalless draw. The most discussion was generated by Harry Kane's poor performance, with the English striker missing several opportunities in the second half that he would normally convert almost every time.

Before the match, Ghana's media had spread claims via social media that Ghana's curse was working against Kane. It resonated among fans that in the second half Kane appeared unusually imprecise-whether this was coincidence or something else is of course for each observer to decide. The Ghanaian players could be satisfied with the draw and still have a chance to advance from the group.

Colombia confident leaders

In a match held in Guadalajara, Mexico, Colombia defeated DR Congo 1:0. The match's sole goal came from right-back Daniel Muñoz, who scored in his second consecutive match-an impressive run of form. Colombia have now accumulated six points from two matches and advance from the group with confidence.

According to statistics agency Opta, Colombia's probability of finishing first in Group K is 51.4%. It is worth noting that Colombia last won their first two World Cup matches in 2014, when they reached the quarter-finals, their best result to date. In the final round, Colombia faces Portugal and a draw would be enough for them to advance from the group.

DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, a 31-year-old Le Havre player, made a name for himself during the match with more than seven saves, but ultimately could not prevent defeat.

Croatia overcomes Panama hurdle

In the third match, Croatia secured a hard-fought 1:0 victory over Panama. Substitute striker Ante Budimir, who entered the pitch at half-time, scored the decisive goal. For Panama, the tournament is now mathematically over.

Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković once again demonstrated superb play, turning away several dangerous shots from Panama. Early in the second half, the head coach substituted out Croatia superstar Joško Gvardiol, a surprising decision that signalled the team was playing cautiously with an eye to future matches.

Portugal opens with big win

The evening opened with Portugal, who defeated Uzbekistan by a large scoreline of 5:0 and gave the opponents no opportunities whatsoever. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates demonstrated the kind of performance expected from European teams at the World Cup.