June 24 checkpoint: Ronaldo resets Portugal, England stall, Croatia survive
Portugal surged to a 5-0 win behind Cristiano Ronaldo's record-setting double, England were held by Ghana, and Croatia's 1-0 win over Panama kept Group L alive. This checkpoint also flags the live Colombia-DR Congo match, today's fixture board and the main injury watches.
The 02:00 UTC read
This is a 02:00 UTC checkpoint, not the final Group K ledger. Colombia-DR Congo had kicked off and was still scoreless during the check, so this briefing treats it as a live match rather than a result. The completed story so far: Portugal finally looked like Portugal, England left the door open, and Croatia dragged Group L back into a proper final-day fight.
Results ledger
| Match | Score | Scorers / status | Venue | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal vs. Uzbekistan | Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan | Cristiano Ronaldo 6', 39'; Nuno Mendes 17'; Abduvohid Nematov own goal 60'; Rafael Leao 87' 1 | Houston Stadium | Portugal moved to four points and put pressure back on Colombia in Group K. |
| England vs. Ghana | England 0-0 Ghana | No scorers; England had 79% possession but could not break Ghana's low block 2 | Boston Stadium | England are still in a strong position, but qualification is not mathematically sealed. |
| Panama vs. Croatia | Panama 0-1 Croatia | Ante Budimir, nine minutes into the second half 3 | Toronto Stadium | Panama are eliminated; Croatia can still reach the last 32 by beating Ghana. |
| Colombia vs. DR Congo | 0-0 live at the checkpoint | The BBC scores page showed the match in progress at 9' during the run 4 | Estadio Akron, Zapopan | Not counted here as a completed result. Colombia can qualify with a win. |
Three things that matter now
1. Ronaldo's record night also fixed Portugal's table problem
The headline record is simple: Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups, then added another before half-time. FIFA also lists the second goal as his 10th World Cup goal, moving him ahead of Eusebio as Portugal's leading scorer in the tournament. 1
The more immediate issue was Group K. Portugal had started with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, so this was less about style points and more about restoring margin for error. A five-goal win does that. It also means Colombia-DR Congo carries real weight: a Colombia win would take them back above Portugal, while anything less keeps the group compressed heading into the final round.
2. England's draw was not fatal, but it made Saturday awkward
England's 0-0 with Ghana was a strange box score: 79% possession, a big Harry Kane chance, and enough control to avoid chaos, but no breakthrough. Thomas Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live that Ghana defended with "10 players in a deep, deep block" and that England had to be careful not to concede counters. 2
The table still favours England: four points after two games is usually enough breathing room. The problem is shape. Ghana also have four points, Croatia are alive on three, and Panama are out but still have England next. That turns Saturday from a rotation exercise into a match where Tuchel has to balance rest, rhythm and the risk of letting top spot slip.
3. Croatia turned Group L from a shrug into a final-day race
Croatia's win was narrow, but it changed the group. Budimir came off the bench and finished Josip Stanisic's low cross at the far post; BBC's report placed the goal nine minutes after half-time. 3
That was enough to eliminate Panama and give Luka Modric a win in his 200th international appearance. More importantly, it means Croatia-Ghana is now a direct qualification match in Philadelphia. BBC's post-match report says a Croatia win over Ghana will confirm a place in the knockout phase. 3
Injury watch
The short version: Brazil, the U.S., Canada, England and Scotland all have squad-management calls before the next wave of decisive games.
- Neymar has returned to full training after a calf injury and is in contention for Brazil's final Group C match against Scotland, while Raphinha is on Brazil's injury list with a hamstring problem suffered against Haiti. 6
- Christian Pulisic missed the U.S. win over Australia after the calf problem from the Paraguay match; Mauricio Pochettino said the hope is that he will be available for the final group game against Turkey. 6
- Alphonso Davies was back on Canada's bench for the 6-0 win over Qatar but did not play; Canada will hope he can feature against Switzerland. 6
- Bukayo Saka has been managing an Achilles issue, has appeared from the bench in both England games, and Tuchel has said he could start against Panama. 6
- Aaron Hickey trained alone before Scotland-Brazil and is a doubt as Scotland prepare for a high-load final group match. 6
Today's fixture board
| UTC kickoff | Group | Match | Venue | Why to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 | B | Switzerland vs. Canada | Vancouver | Canada can tighten control of Group B if Davies is fit enough to matter. 7 |
| 19:00 | B | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar | Seattle | Qatar need a response after the 6-0 loss to Canada. 7 |
| 22:00 | C | Scotland vs. Brazil | Miami | Neymar's fitness call meets Scotland's need for a result. 7 |
| 22:00 | C | Morocco vs. Haiti | Atlanta | Morocco can push for control of the group; Haiti need points after two tight matches. 7 |
| 01:00 Thursday | A | Czechia vs. Mexico | Mexico City | Mexico can finish the group stage strongly at home. 7 |
| 01:00 Thursday | A | South Africa vs. South Korea | Guadalupe | South Korea need a result to keep pressure on Czechia and Mexico. 7 |
What to carry into the next check
Group L is the cleaner story: England and Ghana are on four, Croatia are alive on three, and Panama are out. Group K is deliberately unfinished in this briefing because Colombia-DR Congo was live at the cutoff. Once that result is final, the next update should start there before moving into Groups A, B and C.
References
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- 6The Independent: World Cup injury tracker
independent.co.uk
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