Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 win for Ghana over Panama as World Cup action delivered a mix of late drama and key results. Colombia and England also began their campaigns with victories, while DR Congo held Portugal in a historic 1-1 draw and Austria beat Jordan 3-1.
Colombia winger Luis Diaz dazzled at a raucous Azteca Stadium as his side marked their return to the World Cup with a 3-1 Group K win over tournament debutants Uzbekistan on Wednesday.
Colombia, who missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar, struggled in the early stages but broke through in the 41st minute when a brilliant ball lifted into the area by Diaz was hooked in on the turn by Daniel Munoz, who had ghosted in behind the defence.
Uzbekistan equalised on the hour mark after a shot from striker Eldor Shomurodov was spilled by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas and Abbosbek Fayzullaev was on the line to head in. However, Diaz restored Colombia's lead five minutes later by slotting the ball in from the left of the area.
Harry Kane scored a first-half brace, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added goals after halftime and England kicked off its World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday in an entertaining Group L clash at Arlington, Texas.
The Three Lions earned their third victory in four major international tournaments against Croatia despite twice giving back their lead. Manager Thomas Tuchel's squad also grabbed a measure of revenge for the lone defeat among those games, a 2-1 loss in extra time in the 2018 World Cup semifinals.
Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scored before halftime for Croatia, which is trying to reach the semifinals or better for a third World Cup after finishing second in 2018 and third in 2022.
Caleb Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Ghana a 1-0 win over Panama in a chilly and lively World Cup game on Wednesday in which the African side were forced to play the second half without starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi.
After a lightning-quick counter-attack, Brandon Thomas-Asante charged forward before playing a precise pass into the area for Yirenkyi, who tapped home in the fifth minute of extra time for his first competitive international goal.
Panama, bolstered by a vociferous red-clad contingent of supporters, were energetic, purposeful and threatening in the final third while Ghana were unable to find their rhythm until the second half when the tables turned.
Portugal were frustrated in a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, who marked their return to the World Cup after 52 years with a disciplined and determined performance.
Portugal took an early lead when João Neves headed home Pedro Neto’s cross inside six minutes, setting expectations of a comfortable evening for Roberto Martínez’s side.
However, DR Congo gradually grew into the match and struck a historic equaliser in first-half stoppage time, as Yoane Wissa headed in from Arthur Masuaku’s cross to register the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo, playing in a record-extending sixth World Cup appearance, struggled to make an impact as Portugal dominated possession without creating clear chances. Cedric Bakambu came closest to winning it for DR Congo, hitting the post in the second half.
Portugal coach Martínez admitted his side lacked attacking sharpness, while DR Congo boss Sébastien Desabre praised his team’s resilience in securing a landmark point.
Austria began their World Cup campaign with a dramatic 3-1 win over debutants Jordan in San Francisco, ending a 36-year wait for an opening match victory.
Ralf Rangnick’s side were pushed all the way by a spirited Jordan team who came close early through Ehsan Haddad and Ali Olwan, before Romano Schmid gave Austria the lead with a superb curling finish.
Jordan responded strongly after the break, with Olwan striking a deserved equaliser off the post in the 50th minute.
Austria thought they had regained the lead through Marko Arnautović, but the goal was ruled out for handball following a VAR review. They eventually went ahead when Yazan Al Arab turned the ball into his own net from a corner.
Arnautović sealed the result in stoppage time from the penalty spot after a late handball decision confirmed by VAR, ensuring Austria’s winning start.
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Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
For weeks, Indians have watched a bespectacled civil servant become an unlikely social media star. Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra's food safety commissioner, posts photographs of cockroach-infested kitchens and rat droppings on warehouse floors, and his raids are shared like reality television.
Algeria has ordered the closure of its airspace to all civilian and military aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates, marking a sharp escalation in tensions after Algiers formally cut diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Eight Muslim-majority countries have launched a joint push for wider international action against trade linked to Israeli settlements, seeking to build momentum from new measures announced by the UK and other Western governments.
Saudi Arabia is facing a problem that goes beyond the latest Houthi attacks on its southern oil facilities. The kingdom is now dealing with pressure on energy exports at the Strait of Hormuz to the east and the Red Sea route to the west.
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