World Cup 2026 Day 13: Group L Recap

Another day of group stage action in the 2026 FIFA World Cup entertained us all on Tuesday, and Group L was one of the groups to play their 2nd game, as England took on Ghana, while later on Croatia faced off with Panama. 

General view inside the stadium of giant England and Ghana flags as the teams walk out onto the pitch before the match

Pilar Olivares

World Cup Group L - Matchday 2

England 0 - 0 Ghana 

The first game of Group L action of the day saw group leaders England take on 2nd-place Ghana, a battle between the two nations that had grabbed all 3 points in the opening game of the group stages. 

Thomas Tuchel decided to make just the two changes to his England side that beat Croatia 4-2 in the opening game. Djed Spence came in at left back for Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, while Marc Guehi got the nod to partner Ezri Konza at center back over John Stones. Anthony Gordon kept his place in the team on the left wing, while Jude Bellingham kept his starting role as the number 10 over Morgan Rogers. 

Carlos Queiroz made four changes to his Ghanaian side that beat Panama with a last-minute goal 1-0. One change was forced on Carlos Queiroz as Benjamin Asare took the goalkeeping spot for the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi. The back four stayed the same as the one that started against Panama. Two changes came in midfield as Thomas Partey and Kwasi Sibo came into midfield, and Inaki Williams took the right wing spot from Ernest Nuamah. 

The first half was a struggle to get through at times, as the referee was very whistle-happy and the game kept stopping and starting for fouls and head clashes, which kept either team from getting any momentum. Declan Rice saw his attempt from a free kick go over the bar around 15 minutes in. 

Ghana's Kwasi Sibo celebrates after the match

Peter Cziborra

The England and Arsenal star went close again around the half-hour mark, arguably the best chance of the half, when Noni Madueke worked well down the right side and got a cross into the box, but the ball was just too high for Rice, and he sailed his header over the bar. The teams headed into the halftime break tied at 0-0. Ghana ended the first half without having a single shot on target, only 22% possession, and just 78 passes completed. 

England had the first chance in the 2nd half as they looked to break down Ghana's tight, low block. Noni Madueke saw his initial shot blocked, and the rebound fell to Anthony Gordon, but his effort was straight at the keeper and easily saved.  

England were still looking to find their way through Ghana's low block, but were struggling to find anything to break them down. Harry Kane had a shot from just outside the box, but against it, it was straight at the keeper and another easy save. 

Thomas Tuchel made a number of substitutions, and they changed the final ten minutes for his England side as they went searching for a late winner. Bukayo Saka went close with a shot from outside the box, but Benjamin Asare made a great save down to his right. 

The biggest chance of the game came with just four minutes left on the clock. The ball was played into the box, and substitute Nico O’Reilly got on the end of it but crashed his header off the bar. The ball dropped to Harry Kane, 6 yards out and on the half volley, but the England captain smashed his shot far beyond the bar and squandered a huge chance, one he’d usually put away with ease. 

England's Harry Kane reacts after he misses a chance to score

Winslow Townson

Marc Guehi went close with a header that was cleared off the back post by a Ghana defender, and Ghana held on to draw 0-0 with England, with both teams now sitting on 4 points each and a very good chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. 

Panama 0 - 1 Croatia 

The 2nd game of the day for Group L saw both teams that lost their opening game do battle in search of seriously important points to keep them in the tournament, as Croatia and Panama faced off in Toronto. 

General view inside the stadium of giant Panama and Croatia flags on the pitch before the match

Thomas Mukoya

Thomas Christiansen made just the one change to the side that was very unfortunate to lose 1-0 to Ghana in the opening game. While the structure stayed the same, just more of a 5-4-1 rather than the 3-4-3 they went with against Ghana, the one change was upfront as Jose Fajardo replaced Cecilio Waterman. 

Zlatko Dalic changed the formation of his Croatian side and made two personnel changes to the side that lost 4-2 to England in the opening game, switching to a 4-2-3-1 from the 3-4-2-1 he used against England. Luka Vuskovic and Petar Sucic came out of the starting XI to make way for Marin Pongracic and Mateo Kovacic. 

Croatia started the game well and had a decent chance to grab a goal in the opening two minutes, but Luka Modric could only send his header wide from the middle of the box. Panama went close just after 20 minutes with a header from Amir Murillo, but Livakovic pulled off a world-class save to tip it onto the bar. 

Both teams struggled to get anything going, with the tempo really slow and neither team creating anything or troubling either keeper. Baturina for Croatia had a good shot from just outside the box in stoppage time, but Orlando Mosquera got down well to his right to make the save and turn the ball around the post. 

Panama's Andres Andrade looks dejected after the match

Thomas Mukoya

Less than 10 minutes into the 2nd half, Croatia grabbed the opening goal of the game after some brilliant work down the right wing by Josip Stanisic, and the right back put a brilliant ball across the edge of the six-yard box where substitute Ante Budimir was waiting to tap it home for the opening goal of the game. 

Croatia should have been 2-0 up just a few minutes later when Marco Pasalic was played through one-on-one with Mosquera, and he tried to chip the Panama keeper, but Mosquera read the shot and made a good save. The ball landed back to Pasalic, and he couldn’t do anything but watch his rebound smash into the side netting, and a golden chance went astray for Croatia. 

The game opened up a lot after the Croatia goal, and Panama were the next team to go close when a ball was put into the box by Murillo, but Fajardo was always underneath the ball, and he couldn’t direct his header towards goal. 

Dominik Livakovic was called into action for Croatia just before the hydration break when he first saved an Amir Murillo shot at goal down to his left and then recovered well to save a Carlos Harvey header right after. Carlos Harvey went close again from a corner, but his shot was always only going to find the side netting from his wide angle. 

Croatia's Ante Budimir scores their first goal

Benoit Tessier

Unfortunately for Panama, they just couldn’t find that equalizing goal in the final ten minutes despite playing some really good football at times; they lacked any real quality up front, and Croatia took the game 1-0, knocking Panama out of the 2026 World Cup. 

Day 13, Group L, Round-up:

While it wasn’t the goalfest round of group-stage games we saw in the opening games, England finished top of the group for now on 4 points, ahead of 2nd-place Ghana on goal difference. Croatia takes up 3rd spot on 3 points, and unfortunately for Panama, they sit 4th with 0 points and are out of the World Cup entirely. 

Tomorrow is another day of non-stop World Cup action for everyone to enjoy, with the final round of group stage games taking place. I’ll be back with you all, covering Group A as Mexico, who have already qualified, take on Czechia, who are looking to win and could finish 2nd. While the Republic of Korea, looking to secure 2nd place, takes on South Africa, which, with a win, could qualify for the knockout stages. 

Group B and Group C final matches also take place, with Bosnia taking on Qatar and Switzerland playing Canada, while Morocco and Haiti face each other in Group C, alongside a huge clash for knockout-round qualification as Scotland and Brazil do battle at Hard Rock Stadium.