Kane double and Rashford clincher seal chaotic 4-2 England win over Croatia
Twice pegged back in a wild first half, England roared clear after the break through Bellingham and Rashford as Harry Kane equalled Gary Lineker's England World Cup goal record.
England began their World Cup with a thriller, surviving a chaotic first half to beat Croatia 4-2 in Dallas. It was a statement of attacking intent and a reminder of England's resilience, and at the heart of it was Harry Kane, whose brace carried him level with Gary Lineker as his country's all-time leading scorer at a World Cup on ten goals.
The opening 45 minutes were breathless. Kane struck first from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, converting at the second attempt after Dominik Livakovic was adjudged to have come off his line for the initial save. Croatia hit back through a superb long-range Martin Baturina strike on 36 minutes, only for Kane to restore the lead six minutes later with a powerful header from Declan Rice's corner. Then, deep into stoppage time, Petar Musa turned home Ivan Perisic's knockdown to send the sides in level at 2-2. It was end-to-end, error-strewn and gloriously entertaining.
England take control after the break
If the first half belonged to no one, the second belonged to England. Jude Bellingham restored the lead barely two minutes after the restart, finishing off an Anderson assist to make it 3-2, and from there the World Cup favourites for a deep run gradually wrested control. They created enough chances to have won more comfortably, and the cushion finally arrived late on when Marcus Rashford, whose own future has been one of the summer's big talking points, capped a fine display by making it 4-2 with five minutes to go.
For Thomas Tuchel, it was a first competitive tournament match in charge that delivered exactly what a manager wants from an opener: three points, goals, and evidence of character when the game threatened to slip away. England did not defend perfectly, and Croatia's two first-half equalisers will give Tuchel plenty to work on at the back. But the response after the break, the refusal to be rattled in a high-scoring shootout, is the kind of quality that wins tournaments.
A statement of intent
The symbolism was not lost on anyone. This was a rematch of the 2018 semi-final, the night Croatia ended England's dream, and to win it in a six-goal classic is a measure of how far this England side believes it has come. Kane equalling Lineker's record adds a milestone to the night, Bellingham announced himself early, and Rashford answered his critics in the most emphatic way.
Croatia, for their part, will be frustrated. They twice clawed their way level and showed enough quality to trouble England, but they were ultimately undone by a stronger, deeper, more clinical opponent in the second half. For England, it is the perfect, if nerve-jangling, start: a marquee win over old rivals, a captain making history, and a forward line that looks ready to make this a tournament to remember.