Leeds: Day 7 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered a mix of dominant victories, late drama and a surprising result as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo, while England and Colombia registered impressive wins in their respective matches.
The day also saw Cristiano Ronaldo become the oldest player to start a FIFA World Cup match. However, the milestone was overshadowed by Portugal’s underwhelming performance against a resilient DR Congo side.
DR Congo stun Portugal in unexpected draw
Portugal were expected to secure a comfortable win, but DR Congo produced a spirited performance to earn a historic 1-1 draw. Joao Neves gave Portugal an early lead, putting them in control of the contest.
However, DR Congo responded strongly, with Yoann Wissa scoring the equaliser to stun the Portuguese side. Ronaldo, who was the centre of attention, had a quiet outing and failed to make a significant impact on the match.
The result is being viewed as one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far, raising questions about Portugal’s form and strategy going forward.
Harry Kane leads England to big win
England enjoyed a winning start to their campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in a high-scoring encounter. Captain Harry Kane led from the front, scoring two crucial goals.
Kane initially missed a penalty in the first half, but it was retaken, and he converted the second attempt successfully. Croatia fought back through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa, levelling the score at 2-2.
However, England regained control as Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford found the net, ensuring a strong start for the 1966 World Cup winners.
Ghana snatch dramatic stoppage-time victory
Ghana secured a dramatic win over Panama in one of the most thrilling matches of the day. The game appeared to be heading towards a goalless draw until a late breakthrough changed the outcome.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Brandon Thomas-Asante set up 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi, who scored the decisive goal to seal a crucial victory for Ghana.
The late strike highlighted Ghana’s determination and could prove vital in what is expected to be a tightly contested group.
Colombia cruise past Uzbekistan
Colombia registered a comfortable 3-1 win over Uzbekistan to begin their campaign on a positive note. Daniel Munoz opened the scoring for Colombia, setting the tone early in the match.
Uzbekistan briefly equalised through Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who scored his country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal. However, Colombia quickly regained control.
Luis Diaz restored the lead with a close-range finish, and Jaminton Campoz added a goal in stoppage time to seal the victory.
Star performances light up tournament
The tournament continues to witness stellar individual performances. Earlier matches saw Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland scoring two goals each, while Lionel Messi registered his first World Cup hat-trick, adding to the excitement of the global event.
Day 7 further reinforced the unpredictable nature of the competition, with both expected results and surprising outcomes keeping fans engaged.