The 2026 World Cup is already coming into his 14th day of competitors, and his tales from the night time are as quite a few as ever. That is why 20 Minutes affords you, all through the match, a recap of the foremost occasions that came about throughout your sleep.
And extra issues occurred throughout the night time from Tuesday to Wednesday, after the straightforward rebound of Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo against Uzbekistan (5-0). Three matches adopted, beginning with Thomas Tuchel’s extremely anticipated Three Lions against Ghana.
The match of the night time
What if the perfect impression left on the primary day of this 2026 World Cup had (once more) gone loopy? And sure, we’re clearly speaking about our expensive English pals, seeking a serious coronation for precisely sixty years. An anniversary date able to boosting the hopes of probably the most superstitious supporters, particularly “hyped” by the spectacular entry into the working of their Three Lions against Croatia (4-2).
How might or not it’s in any other case with Thomas Tuchel on the helm, as the perfect successor to Gareth Southgate? All it took was a stable Ghanabut not even certified for the final CANto already undermine all this momentum of hope, with a tragic 0-0 ultimately. Regardless of XXL ball possession (78.8%) and 19 photographs (solely 3 heading in the right direction) to 2, Harry Kane’s companions paid dearly for his or her lack of creativity/sharpness, regardless of the entries into play of Saka, Eze, Rogers and Rashford within the second interval.
Even Harry Kane resurfaced on Tuesday Bostonthe spectrum of sound inefficiency in very large meetingscrunching a huge match ballalone at six meters, after a header from Nico O’Reilly on the crossbar (86th). Though England stays on the high of Group L (+1 objective common over Ghana), earlier than finishing its first part towards Panama (0 factors) eradicated on Saturday (11 p.m.), it’s again beneath hearth from critics. Like each two years since 1966, principally.
The controversy of the night time
We’ve got actually seen a number of questionable arbitration decisions for the reason that begin of this World Cup in the US. However we skilled throughout England-Ghana (0-0) the most important thriller of the primary fortnight: how have been the Honduran Stated Martinez, then his assistants on the VAR aspect, in a position to skip an ultra-obvious penalty in favor of the Black Stars, within the 79th minute of play?
First factor of context: English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford can think about himself fortunate to have escaped exclusion shortly earlier than (67th) for a reverse exit on Prince Adu exterior his space (he even obtained the free kick in his favor!). There, on a supersonic counter from Ghana and an excellent via ball from Abdul Fatawu, this similar Prince Adu finds himself alone towards Pickford.
That is the place Ezri Konsa comes again for a determined deal with from behind, which by no means touches the ball. Placed on the bottom, Prince Adu breaks away to shoot whereas tackling. However he was unfortunate and his try was blocked in entrance of the road by… his teammate Antoine Semenyo! The principle factor is elsewhere: situated greater than 20 meters from the motion given the pace of the Ghanaian counter, Stated Martinez didn’t perceive the illicit dimension of Konsa’s deal with.
Completely wonderful, this isn’t helped by the video referees, who let the sport resume 50 seconds later, as if nothing had occurred. In gradual movement, we will clearly see that Ezri Konsa has each toes off the bottom, and that after his massive push, he hits the left knee and thigh of Prince Adu. This forgotten though indeniable penalty, which might have given victory to Carlos Queiroz’s gamers, will stay among the many enormous hiccups of this group stage of the 2026 World Cup.
The objective of the night time
We actually aren’t spoiled for alternative this Wednesday morning, since solely two (legitimate) objectives have been scored throughout the three post-little hand from Portugal-Uzbekistan at 7 p.m. Greater than the deflected and happy strike of the very offensive Colombian full-back from Crystal Palace Daniel Muñoz (1-0 towards the Democratic Republic of Congo), we begin with the objective of the Croatiaregistered towards Panama (1-0) throughout the match performed at 1 o’clock in Toronto.
We’re removed from nice objective of the fortnight however the collective motion may be very good, between a wonderful backheel from Marko Pasalic alongside the touchline, an overflow adopted by a royal cross from Josip Stanisic, and at last the quiet end from Ante Budimir from shut vary (54th). An important objective to provide the third place within the 2022 World Cup an excellent probability of constructing it to the spherical of 16.
The qualifier of the night time
Colombia was solely capable of finding the fault via Daniel Muñoz within the final quarter of an hour of play towards the DRC (1-0, 76th), however right here it’s as the massive winner of final night time. In a match that began at 4 a.m. in Guadalajara (Mexico), Los Cafeteros noticed the objectives of Daniel Muñoz (seventh) and Luis Diaz (81st) logically refused for offside. Irrespective of: with this second success in a row, the Colombia of a James Rodriguez captain and nonetheless holder (at 34 years outdated) is already certified. She’s going to have the ability to accept a draw towards Portugal on Saturday night to keep up her first place in Group Ok.
The outbreak of the night time
The « I’m back » very NBA by Cristiano Ronaldo, creator of a double on Tuesday night towards Uzbekistan (5-0) after a drought of ten consecutive matches in main tournaments, was praised by Fabio Cannavaro. Now coach of this newcomer in World Cupthe 2006 Ballon d’Or confided his admiration for “CR7”.
“He’s an excellent skilled, he all the time has excellent strikes,” praises the Uzbekistan coach. As a defender, when you give him an inch within the field, you are useless. I advised him after the match that he might play for a number of extra years. » Uuuuh, let’s do not forget that Cristiano Ronaldo is now 41 years outdated.
Right this moment’s matches
Time for the final day in every group of this 2026 World Cup (sure sure, not too early, as you say). We’ll subsequently first be entitled at 9 p.m. to the 2 Group B matches performed concurrently, particularly Switzerland-Canada (in Vancouver) and Bosnia-Herzegovina – Qatar (in Seattle).
Our file on the 2026 World Cup
Then the result of Group C shall be performed at midnight, with Scotland-Brazil (in Miami) and Morocco-Haiti (in Atlanta). Lastly, it’s Group A which is able to ship its verdict at 3 o’clock, with South Africa-South Korea (in Monterrey) in addition to Czech Republic-Mexico (in Mexico). Word that aside from Haiti (0 factors), all groups are nonetheless able to qualify for the spherical of 16 of the match (it’s already within the bag for the Mexicans).
