Dallas, Texas \u2014<\/strong> Harry Kane scored twice, broke a England World Cup record, and Thomas Tuchel’s side still nearly bottled it. England opened their World Cup campaign with a nervy 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, a result that was far messier than the final score suggests \u2014 and far more exciting for it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n England’s captain put his side ahead in the 12th minute from the penalty spot \u2014 but only after a retake. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved Kane’s first effort, only for video review to catch him off his line. Kane stepped up again and buried it, this time with conviction.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n He wasn’t done. In the 42nd minute, Kane powered a Declan Rice corner into the net with a clinical header. That goal tied Gary Lineker’s<\/strong> record of 10 World Cup goals for England \u2014 and Kane became only the second England player, after David Beckham<\/strong>, to score at three different FIFA World Cups.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Croatia \u2014 the same side that humiliated England in the 2018 semifinal in Moscow \u2014 showed exactly why they are never to be underestimated. Martin Baturina<\/strong> pulled one back in the 36th minute after a slick one-two with Petar Sucic, beating Jordan Pickford at his near post.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Then, right before halftime, Petar Musa<\/strong> equalised at 2-2 after Ivan Perisic headed the ball into his path. England walked into the dressing room level \u2014 and with serious questions to answer about a defence that looked shaky, jittery, and exposed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Whatever Tuchel said at halftime worked. Jude Bellingham<\/strong> \u2014 relentless, electric, and clearly operating on a different level \u2014 drove into the box just two minutes after the restart and fired into the far corner to restore England’s lead.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Croatia’s Livakovic kept his side in it with a string of stunning saves, but England’s pressure was suffocating. In the 85th minute, substitutes Bukayo Saka<\/strong> and Marcus Rashford<\/strong> combined, with Rashford slotting home to seal the win and kill the game dead.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The England manager did not oversell the performance. “We played against a top opponent. We showed a bit of nerves,”<\/strong> Tuchel said post-match. “There are still things to improve. You need to grow into a tournament.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n He’s right. England’s attacking play was relentless and dangerous. Their defensive structure was anything but. Two goals conceded against a Croatia side that no longer has peak Luka Modric \u2014 who was reduced to fouling Noni Madueke in the box to give away the penalty \u2014 is a warning sign that cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n England sit top of Group L<\/strong> after matchday one. Their next fixtures:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Win both and England are through. But if they defend like this against stronger opposition in the knockout rounds, no scoreline \u2014 however flattering \u2014 will save them.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" England Beat Croatia 4-2 in Chaotic World Cup Opener \u2014 But Don’t Let the Scoreline Fool You Dallas, Texas \u2014 Harry Kane scored twice, broke a England World Cup record, and Thomas Tuchel’s side still nearly bottled it. England opened their World Cup campaign with a nervy 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, a result […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","category-trending"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nKane Does What Kane Does<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Croatia Refused to Lie Down<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Second Half: A Different England<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Tuchel Keeps It Real<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
What This Means Going Forward<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
England Goalscorers<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n