The group stage closed today, and I watched it go out on a full slate. England saw off Panama without trouble, two goals to nil, and Croatia edged Ghana by the same margin it always seems to take them, 2-1. Colombia and Portugal could not separate themselves and settled for a goalless draw. The day’s real noise came from the margins of the map: DR Congo put three past Uzbekistan, and Argentina were made to work before they pulled clear of Jordan, 3-1. But the match I will remember is Algeria and Austria, six goals shared and neither side willing to lose. There is a particular pleasure in a 3-3, the sense of two teams who would rather risk everything than protect a point. With the groups settled, the tournament narrows now. Tomorrow the stakes change.