(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Harry Kane Scores Twice as England Defeat Croatia in World Cup Opener
England began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in an entertaining Group L encounter at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Captain Harry Kane scored twice in the first half, while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also found the net to help England secure all three points in their opening match of the tournament.
England took an early lead when Kane converted a penalty after a retake was awarded following a video review. Croatia responded in the 36th minute through Martin Baturina, who finished a well-worked move to level the score.
The equalizer was short-lived, however, as Kane restored England’s advantage six minutes later by heading home from a corner kick. The goal took his World Cup tally to 10, matching one of England’s all-time tournament scoring records.
Croatia struck back once again before halftime when Petar Musa capitalized on a scoring opportunity to make it 2-2 heading into the break.
England regained control shortly after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, Jude Bellingham completed a strong run forward and calmly finished to put his side back in front.
The match remained competitive, with both teams creating chances throughout the second half. England continued to apply pressure and were rewarded late in the game when substitute Marcus Rashford scored with five minutes remaining to seal the victory.
The result gives England an encouraging start under head coach Thomas Tuchel as the team looks to build momentum in the group stage. Croatia, meanwhile, showed resilience throughout the contest and will aim to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
Played in front of more than 70,000 spectators, the match delivered plenty of excitement and highlighted the attacking quality of both teams as the World Cup continues across North America.
