Three Stories, One Theme: Winning Ugly Is Still Winning

There is a particular kind of World Cup day that leaves fans relieved rather than elated, and July 1 was emphatically one of those. England's two-one win over Congo DR, Belgium's three-two comeback over Senegal, and the United States' two-nil defeat of Bosnia-Herzegovina all delivered the required results, but the margin of comfort varied wildly.

England remain the most scrutinised of the three. A one-goal winning margin against Congo DR at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta keeps the knives sheathed for now, but Thomas Tuchel's side have not yet produced the dominant performance their supporters crave. Getting out of tight spots has become a motif of this campaign, and at some point in the knockout rounds, that habit will need to change.

Belgium's evening in Seattle was the most dramatic of the lot. Trailing against Senegal before mounting a comeback that ended three goals to two, they relied on a late and reportedly controversial penalty to seal the win at Lumen Field. It is the kind of result that can either galvanise a squad or expose its fragility, and the next round will reveal which.

The United States, by contrast, looked the most composed of the three, keeping a clean sheet against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the San Francisco Bay Area. The hosts have home support driving them forward at every venue, and a victory without conceding will do their confidence a great deal of good as the tournament enters its most punishing phase.