World Cup first round ends: Ghana beats Panama, England defeats Croatia 4:2

The first round of matches at the football World Cup concluded in the early hours of Thursday. Ghana secured victory over Panama thanks to Caleb Yirenkyi's goal in the fifth minute of added time, England defeated Croatia 4:2, and Portugal had to settle for a 1:1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The first round of matches at the football World Cup was completed on 18 June in the early hours of Thursday, delivering excitement on multiple fronts.

Ghana snatches Panama victory in the dying moments

The Ghana versus Panama match held in Toronto proved evenly contested and hard-fought until Caleb Yirenkyi scored the decisive goal in the fifth minute of added time, securing a 1:0 win for Ghana. For both teams, this was a vital win; a draw would have left their chances of progressing from the group minimal, as both still have matches against Croatia and England to come.

England demolishes Croatia in style

The England versus Croatia match provided six goals and constant drama. Jude Bellingham put England 3:2 ahead following a brilliant solo run worthy of a Real Madrid star, a strike from an awkward angle that bounced off the post and into the net. Marcus Rashford, brought on as a substitute, added England's fourth goal in the 87th minute, putting Croatia completely out of contention. Harry Kane was also among the scorers, directing a Declan Rice corner into the far corner with his head. The final score of 4:2 was reflected in the statistics: England attempted 22 shots (11 on target), Croatia just 10 (5). England's expected goals total was 2.79 to Croatia's 0.72.

Ronaldo and Portugal fall flat

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal had to settle for an unexpected 1:1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ronaldo commented on the result on Instagram: "We didn't start the way we wanted to, but the tournament is far from over. Heads up and let's focus on the next match." Portugal will next face Uzbekistan. Former Estonian decathlete Grete Gail Griffin, who now lives in the US, watched the match on site: "Our first World Cup match. Really cool experience!" she wrote on Instagram.

Colombia led against debutant

In the day's final match, Colombia led Uzbekistan 1:0 following Daniel Muñoz's goal in the 40th minute. The South Americans have clearly been the better side, dominating the match from the first half onwards.