World Cup 2026 Daily Recap: England Beats Croatia, Portugal Stunned + Today's Odds
June 18, 2026
Wednesday delivered one of the most entertaining days of group stage football so far at the 2026 World Cup.
England and Croatia produced one of the games of the tournament, trading goals in a 4-2 win for the Three Lions. Harry Kane had a first-half brace, but Croatia leveled twice before the break through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. Jude Bellingham scored straight out of halftime before Marcus Rashford added an insurance goal late on.
Portugal's tournament got off to a poor start after a stunning 1-1 draw with DR Congo. Cristiano Ronaldo was swarmed by Congo defenders and ineffective throughout. João Neves put the Portuguese ahead early before Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo just before halftime.
Ghana provided late drama with a stoppage-time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi to edge Panama 1-0 in Toronto. Colombia were the day's big winners, with Luis Diaz and substitute Jáminton Campaz combining for a 3-1 victory over debutants Uzbekistan. Austria also picked up a 3-1 win over Jordan on Tuesday to join England and Colombia among the day's victors.
Today's Matches and Odds
Three matches are on the schedule today across Groups A and B.
Czechia vs. South Africa kicks off at 18:00 with the Czechs as favorites at 1.92, a draw at 3.5, and South Africa at 4.35. Switzerland host Bosnia and Herzegovina at 21:00 in what looks like a one-sided affair on paper, with Switzerland at 1.55, a draw at 4.15, and Bosnia at 6.45.
Both matches are available to bet on now at Chipstars, with full live betting markets opening at kickoff.
Reader Rewards 🎁
As a thank you to our loyal readers, today's article includes a special free spins promo code. The first 50 players with a verified email address who claim it will receive free spins on Aviamasters at the game's minimum bet value. The code can only be claimed on the day this article is published. Any winnings are subject to x40 wagering, which must be completed within 7 days.
If you receive a message that the code has already reached its maximum number of claims, don't worry. New rewards may appear in future Matchday News posts and other articles across the Chipstars Blog. Stay tuned and be quicker next time. Bonus Terms & Conditions apply.
Group Stage Standings
Here is how every group looks after the opening round of matches.
GROUP A
Mexico - 3 pts
South Korea - 3 pts
Czechia - 0 pts
South Africa - 0 pts
GROUP B
Canada - 1 pt
Bosnia and Herzegovina - 1 pt
Qatar - 1 pt
Switzerland - 1 pt
GROUP C
Scotland - 3 pt
Brazil - 1 pt
Morocco - 1 pt
Haiti - 0 pts
GROUP D
USA - 3 pts
Australia - 3 pts
Turkey - 0 pts
Paraguay - 0 pts
GROUP E
Germany - 3 pts
Ivory Coast - 3 pts
Ecuador - 0 pts
Curaçao - 0 pts
GROUP F
Sweden - 3 pts
Netherlands - 1 pt
Japan - 1 pt
Tunisia - 0 pts
GROUP G
Belgium - 1 pt
Iran - 1 pt
New Zealand - 1 pt
Egypt - 1 pt
GROUP H
Saudi Arabia - 1 pt
Uruguay - 1 pt
Spain - 1 pt
Cabo Verde - 1 pt
GROUP I
France - 3 pts
Norway - 3 pts
Senegal - 0 pts
Iraq - 0 pts
GROUP J
Argentina - 3 pts
Austria - 3 pts
Algeria - 0 pts
Jordan - 0 pts
GROUP K
Colombia - 3 pts
Portugal - 1 pt
DR Congo - 1 pt
Uzbekistan - 0 pts
GROUP L
England - 3 pts
Croatia - 0 pts
Ghana - 3 pts
Panama - 0 pts
Share with your friends:
