London: England clinched victory in their opening FIFA World Cup fixture for the third consecutive tournament, securing a 4-2 win against Croatia. The triumph featured a remarkable brace from Harry Kane and second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford.
According to Emirates News Agency, the first half was a whirlwind of action with England taking the lead twice, courtesy of Kane's strikes, only for Croatia to level the score through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. England's previous encounter with Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final saw them take an early lead from a set-piece but ultimately end in defeat. This time, however, a resilient second-half performance saw them secure the win with goals from Bellingham and Rashford.
The match started with a twice-taken penalty after England newcomer Noni Madueke was fouled by Luka Modric. Kane's initial penalty was saved by Dominik Livakovic, but a retake was ordered by referee Clement Turpin due to encroachment. Kane scored on the retake, equalling Gary Lineker's record of 10 World Cup goals for England with his second goal, a header from Declan Rice's corner.
Each of Kane's goals was matched by a Croatian equaliser. Baturina scored the first with a shot into the right-hand corner, and Musa volleyed the second just before half-time after a clever setup by Ivan Perisic and Mario Pasalic. Bellingham restored England's lead with a low finish across Livakovic, setting the stage for England's dominant play. Despite Livakovic's efforts, Rashford sealed the victory with a composed finish following an assist from Bukayo Saka.