{"id":516360,"date":"2026-06-24T18:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/516360\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T18:02:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:02:11","slug":"harry-kane-goes-awol-as-football-seems-to-get-lost-on-its-way-home-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/516360\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry Kane goes AWOL as football seems to get lost on its way home \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat\u2019s the German for hairdryer?\u201d Darragh Maloney on RT\u00c9 commentary asked as the Group L game<\/a> between England<\/a> and Ghana<\/a> neared half-time.<\/p>\n

Much like in their opening game against Croatia<\/a>, it appeared the Three Lions were in need of a rousing team talk from their German manager Thomas Tuchel to remind them that if they\u2019d like to come good on their pledge that \u2018football\u2019s coming home\u2019, they need to play a bit of ball.<\/p>\n

At a sold-out Boston Stadium \u2013 a mere 30-mile spin from the city and actually located in Foxborough \u2013 England played the opening half at a walking pace, apparently shocked that Ghana opted for an ultra-defensive approach.<\/p>\n

The result: a missing person\u2019s alert almost had to be put out for Harry Kane, the England captain only popping up with a half-chance just before the break.<\/p>\n

\u201cGhana are looking to frustrate England,\u201d Ronnie Whelan said on co-comms. Mission accomplished, as Tuchel danced a frustrated jig all along the technical area.<\/p>\n

There was an Irishman who covered every blade of grass. No, not Declan Rice, we\u2019ve put that whole debacle behind us, but rather Dundalk man Greg Whately, Fifa\u2019s pitch manager for Boston Stadium. The turf looked a picture, fair play to him, as if it had been lifted directly from the Golden Vale.<\/p>\n

Speaking of Rice, he was commander-in-chief at the corner flags, hoping some of that Arsenal set-piece magic could give his side a dig-out. No such luck, and after a scoreless 90+ minutes, despite a relentless late push from England, Ghana held out and celebrated the point as if it were three.<\/p>\n

There was a win for Portugal earlier in the evening, poor Uzbekistan looking rather disheartened after their defeat in Houston.<\/p>\n

Never has a man looked so desperate for a hat-trick as Cristiano Ronaldo. After his sixth-minute opener and his follow-up a half hour later, the 41-year-old laid siege to the Uzbekistan goal, but goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov saved his best for the Portugal captain, denying him thrice to the final whistle.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 4-0 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddff<\/p>\n

Ronaldo almost brings matters into his own hands to get his hat-trick, pressing Nehmatov and firing on target, but the Uzbek keeper is able to make up for his mistake with a great save<\/p>\n

Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldC<\/a> up\u00a0on RT\u00c9 pic.twitter.com\/Kwud0iZMSy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

But as Ronaldo has often been accused of forgetting, it\u2019s not about him, and he simply had to make his peace with his side coming away with a 5-0 win to which he only contributed a brace, leaving him 23rd in the race for the Golden Boot.<\/p>\n

Up in Toronto, meanwhile, another lad in his 40s was knocking about the place. Luka Modric became just the fourth men\u2019s player to reach the 200th-cap milestone for his country, playing 80 minutes for Croatia in their 1-0 win over Panama.<\/p>\n

After the game, Modric\u2019s team-mates celebrated wearing T-shirts with \u201c2\u221e infinite legacy” printed under an image of their captain while Panama were left to digest the fact they won\u2019t be going beyond the group stages.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf7LUKA200!!! Luka Modri\u0107 enters football immortality tonight in Toronto! <\/p>\n

He is the first Croatian to be capped 200 times and only the 4th man in history to enter the club, joining Ronaldo and Messi. pic.twitter.com\/qrFHaherGY<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CroatianSports (@CroatianSoccer) June 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

And the final game overnight saw Colombia break through DR Congo, despite a heroic goalkeeping effort by Lionel Mpasi, to reach the Round of 32 as Crystal Palace\u2019s Daniel Mu\u00f1oz found his second goal of the tournament to earn his side the win in Guadalajara.<\/p>\n

Results: <\/p>\n

Group K \u2013 Portugal 5 (Ronaldo 6, 39, Mendes 17, Nematov 60 OG, Le\u00e3o 87) Uzbekistan 0<\/p>\n

Group L \u2013 England 0 Ghana 0<\/p>\n

Group L \u2013 Panama 0 Croatia 1 (Budimir 54)<\/p>\n

Group K \u2013 Colombia 1 (Mu\u00f1oz 76) DR Congo 0<\/p>\n

Goal of the day: Despite Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s best efforts, his hat-trick against Uzbekistan wasn\u2019t to be. Instead, the last goal of the game went to Rafael Le\u00e3o. The 27-year-old put a deft strike on a ball that had rebounded back off a Uzbekistan defender, scorching the back of the net before the goalkeeper could even sense the danger.<\/p>\n

Moment of the day: The Tartan Army has invaded Florida ahead of Scotland\u2019s Group C game against Brazil later. On Tuesday, the travelling Scots marched on Miami\u2019s Ocean Drive, a chorus of bagpipes leading the way.<\/p>\n

Picture of the day: Fans in Jordan have caught World Cup fever, with their side featuring at the tournament for the first time. And where better to watch their Group J game against Algeria than at a second-century Roman amphitheatre in the capital Amman.<\/p>\n

\"FansFans watch Jordan play Algeria on a big screen at the Roman Theatre of Amman. Photograph: George Saif\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n

Question of the day: It may be Jordan\u2019s first time at a World Cup, but this tournament also features four players with the first name Jordan. Can you name them? Hint: Three of the four togged out overnight. (Answer below) <\/p>\n

Coming up today: <\/p>\n

Group B \u2013 Switzerland v Canada (8pm Irish time, RT\u00c92 & UTV); Bosnia & Herzegovina v Qatar (8pm, RT\u00c9 Player & ITV4)<\/p>\n

Group C \u2013 Scotland v Brazil (11pm, RT\u00c92 & BBC One); Morocco v Haiti (11pm, RT\u00c9 Player & BBC Two)<\/p>\n

Group A \u2013 Czech Republic v Mexico (2am, RT\u00c92 & BBC One); South Africa v South Korea (2am, RT\u00c9 Player & BBC Two)<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in sport: Following the untimely death of two-time All-Ireland winner Paul Clancy, Darragh \u00d3 S\u00e9 recalls how the Galway man \u201cplayed the best pass you\u2019ll ever see in an All-Ireland final\u201d<\/a>, his hooked kick-pass putting Declan Meehan in on goal during the 2001 decider against Kerry. Clancy will be in the thoughts of his fellow Tribesmen this weekend as they face Dublin in an All-Ireland quarter-final, \u00d3 S\u00e9 backing P\u00e1draic Joyce\u2019s men to prevail.<\/p>\n

With just three fixtures remaining in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Se\u00e1n Moran asks whether a change of format is needed<\/a> after a season which, to date, \u201chas been underwhelming to put it mildly\u201d. And if grass is among your passion topics, Gavin Cooney has you covered having spoken to the aforementioned Greg Whately<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Answer to question: Jordan Pickford, Jordan Henderson (both England), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Jordan Bos (Australia).<\/p>\n