Predictions
Group L Wrap: England Top, Croatia Steal Second as Ghana Drop to the Third-Place Race
England saw off Panama 2-0 to win Group L, while Croatia's 2-1 win over Ghana flipped the group on its head — the 2018 finalists go through in second and Ghana tumble into the best-third-placed race.
Group L is settled. England did their job against bottom side Panama, winning 2-0 at MetLife Stadium, but the real drama was in Philadelphia, where Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 to leapfrog both England’s rivals and snatch second place. The two games kicked off together; here are the confirmed finals.
Panama 0-2 England
With top spot there for the taking, England were patient against a Panama side already eliminated and playing only for pride. The breakthrough came just after the hour: Jude Bellingham finished off a Bukayo Saka cutback in the 62nd minute, and five minutes later Harry Kane doubled the lead (67’), turning in a Bellingham assist for his goal of the tournament.
The 2-0 win lifted England to seven points with a +4 goal difference, enough to finish top of Group L. England, who beat Croatia 4-2 in their opener before a goalless draw with Ghana, sign off the group phase unbeaten and as one of the form sides of the tournament.
Croatia 2-1 Ghana
This was the match that reshaped the group. Needing a win to have any chance of going through, Croatia struck first through Petar Sučić (31’), who swept home a Mateo Kovačić pass. Ghana, level on points with England at the top coming in, pushed back after the break and Derrick Luckassen leveled it on 73’. But Croatia’s golden generation had one more push in them: Nikola Vlašić won it on 83’, latching onto a Luka Modrić through ball to make it 2-1.
The result is a brutal swing. Ghana arrived needing only to match Croatia’s result to be sure of the last 32; instead they leave the pitch in third place, their fate now in the hands of the best-third-placed math. Croatia, the 2018 World Cup finalists, complete a redemption arc after that opening loss to England and march on.
Final Group L table
England finish first on seven points (+4 goal difference), Croatia second on six (level on zero goal difference with Ghana but two points clear). Ghana are third on four points, and Panama exit bottom on zero with a −4 goal difference after three defeats.
What it means
England top a genuinely tough group and earn the kinder side of the knockout draw — a statement after surviving a three-way scrap that, 90 minutes earlier, looked like it could go any way. Croatia’s experience told when it mattered: Modrić and Vlašić dragging the side through in a must-win game is exactly the kind of moment that defined their run to the 2018 final.
For Ghana, the wait begins. Four points is a respectable haul for a third-placed team, and it may yet be enough — but only the final round of group games across Groups J and K will confirm which four third-placed sides complete the round of 32. Follow the full picture in our Round of 32 watch and the day’s preview.
Scorelines, scorers and standings above are confirmed final results, cross-checked against official FIFA match data and major outlets (FIFA.com, ESPN, Fox Sports). This article contains no estimated or projected scores.