Harry Kane scored twice in England's impressive 4-2 win against Croatia in Arlington, Texas. England put together an exciting performance against a side described as historic overperformers, while another pre-tournament favorite, Portugal, labored to a 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
The day after Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina in a 3-0 win against Algeria, Cristiano Ronaldo had an afternoon to forget. Elsewhere, Ghana scored the latest winning goal of the tournament so far to see off a dogged Panama side.
Tournament debutants Uzbekistan, the first ever side from Central Asia to compete at the World Cup, provided a massively spirited performance in a 2-1 defeat to Colombia.
Elye Wahi Playing Despite Pre-Tournament Arrest
Day seven also began with news involving Ivory Coast starting striker Elye Wahi. The 23-year-old is playing at the tournament despite being arrested on suspicion of fixing offences less than two weeks before the World Cup opened. Wahi has not yet been charged.
Is This the Greatest Golden Boot Race Ever?
As Lionel Messi drove toward the Algerian goal in the opening minutes of Argentina's eventual 3-0 win on Tuesday night, it felt as if the crowd did not just stand in anticipation of the goal, but in the knowledge that this might be the final glimpse of a player of that caliber on this stage.
That same feeling was also evoked by Messi's last World Cup appearance, when the Argentine lifted the trophy into the Doha sky. It is scarcely believable that the 38-year-old is still starring four years on, and his hat-trick against Algeria has already put him at the center of the scoring race.
With Kane adding two goals against Croatia and Ronaldo struggling on the day after Messi's three-goal display, the question hanging over the tournament is whether the race to score the most World Cup goals has ever looked this good.
