FIFA World Cup 2026: Harry Kane Stars In England’s Second-Half Onslaught to Sink Croatia in Group L Opener

By Samira Vishwas On Jun 18, 2026

FIFA World Cup 2026: England kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a breathless, chaotic 4-2 win over Croatia in a stunning Group L opener at a packed Dallas Stadium in Texas on 17th June. A re-run of the 2018 semi-final, this explosive contest delivered instant entertainment for the 70,000 fans in attendance, defined by clinical finishing, defensive frailty and history-making milestones.

The drama heated up in the first ten minutes. Winger Noni Madueke burst into the box and was brought down by 40-year-old Croatian icon Luka Modrić. Harry Kane’s penalty was saved by Dominik Livaković but a quick VAR check ordered a retake as the goalkeeper stepped off his line too early. Kane went the same way when given a second chance to drill home the 12th-minute opener.

Structured and experienced, Croatia absorbed the blow and struck back in the 36th minute. Petar Sučić grabbed a layback and Martin Baturina curled an exquisite effort beyond the outstretched hand of Jordan Pickford. The equaliser ignited a furious finish to the first half. Kane rose highest in the 42nd minute to head home a precise Declan Rice corner to score his second of the afternoon and tie Gary Lineker’s legendary English record of 10 World Cup goals. But deep into stoppage time Petar Musa silenced the English fans with a magnificent one-timer from an Ivan Perišić set-up to send the sides into the break level at 2-2.

Whatever Thomas Tuchel told his squad at halftime worked immediately. Jude Bellingham restored England’s lead at 3-2 with a fine one-two from Elliot Anderson, who played a neat ball into the box before striding forward and hitting a crisp shot off the far post just two minutes after the restart. This time the Three Lions didn’t put the shackles back on. England took control of the second half under Tuchel’s instructions to play with bravery, with Livaković making a sequence of fine saves to deny an aggressive, fluid frontline.

In the 71st minute, Tuchel turned to his bench for some fresh vertical speed, bringing on Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford. The tactical change paid off in the 85th minute. Saka got away and lofted a lovely ball into the box for Rashford, who cut inside on his left foot and fired a clinical finish with his right foot into the net. The strike effectively ended the contest and secured all three points for England, and a huge statement of intent in Group L.

Debayan Bhattacharya

Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.

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