England, Ghana lead World Cup Group L after tense second round

The 2026 World Cup's Group L remains wide open after the second round of matches, with no teams yet securing a spot in the knockout stage. England and Ghana played to a scoreless draw, leaving both teams with four points atop the group standings. The English side, managed by Thomas Tuchel, struggled to break down Ghana's organized defense, with Harry Kane missing a late chance.

In the other Group L fixture, Croatia secured a vital 1-0 victory over Panama. Substitute Ante Budimir scored the lone goal of the match shortly after halftime, giving Croatia three points and keeping their World Cup aspirations alive. Despite a strong first half from Panama, Croatia found a way to secure the win, though they acknowledged it was a hard-fought contest.

Panama's loss means they are officially eliminated from the tournament, having failed to secure any points in their first two matches. Their final game will be against England, a rematch of their 2018 World Cup encounter where England secured a dominant 6-1 victory.

The final round of group matches will be crucial for all teams. Ghana will face Croatia, while Panama takes on England. The winner of the group will face one of the best third-placed teams, while the runner-up will play the second-placed team from Group K, which includes Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan.