Revenge for the 2018 semi-finals
©IMAGO
Harry Kane gave England a perfect start to their World Cup title mission and set another milestone in his career. The captain was the decisive man with a brace in the eventful 4:2 (2:2) win in the first group game against Croatia. The task from home to the Three Lions and Thomas Tuchel is clear: the second World Cup title should be 60 years after their only triumph so far.
Kane was successful at the Dallas Stadium with a penalty kick in the second attempt (12th minute) and with a powerful header (42nd). With his World Cup goals nine and ten, the Bayern Munich professional drew level with England’s previous record holder Gary Lineker. Jude Bellingham (48th) and Marcus Rashford (85th) scored the other goals for the tournament favorites. Martin Baturina (36th) and Petar Musa (45th + 5) were able to equalize twice for Croatia.
The penalty for Kane’s first goal was caused by, of all people, Croatia’s exceptional footballer Luka Modric. The 40-year-old first missed the onrushing Noni Madueke in the penalty area while trying to clear the ball and then clearly hit him in the leg. It was a terrible start to his fifth World Cup for the former world footballer; after less than an hour, the almost ineffective Modric was replaced.
The 32-year-old Kane played his 115th international match and moved level with David Beckham in third place in this ranking. Only Peter Shilton (125) and Wayne Rooney (120) have played more games in the Three Lions jersey. This was a “special milestone,” Kane said before the game, because Beckham was “a big idol” in his childhood.
Kane went into England’s first World Cup game with the confidence of 61 goals in 51 competitive games for Bayern – but he needed two attempts to take the 1-0 lead from the penalty spot. Croatia’s goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved the first shot, but moved away from the line just too early. In the replay, Kane chose the same corner, but this time Livakovic jumped into the other one.
In the game, as was the case at club level with Bayern, Kane repeatedly retreated to midfield in order to be available to pass and distribute the balls. Bellingham also benefited from this, with Tuchel preferring him to Morgan Rogers in the tenth position.
The Croatians weren’t shocked by the early deficit, they quickly tried to regain control of the ball. They were rewarded for this with Baturina’s beautiful equalizer. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford still had his fingertips on the ball, but was unable to deflect it decisively.
But England countered quickly – and Kane was there again. The attacker took a big run at a corner from the penalty area line and heaved the ball into the bottom corner, unstoppable for Livakovic. But it wasn’t enough for the English to take the lead at the break because Musa was able to equalize again after an excellent attack for Croatia.
The second half started perfectly again for England: After a long sprint, Bellingham still had the strength to deliberately push the ball past Livakovic and into the net. Just a minute later, the Real professional made it 4-2. England stayed on the trigger, the Croatian defense around Luka Vuskovic, who was loaned out to Hamburger SV last season, became more and more floundering. Kane missed another goal from a double chance (57th).
The Croatians finally started the final offensive when Pickford had to parry a shot from Marco Pasalic. In the middle of the Croats’ pressure phase, Rashford made the decision in favor of the English.
England will only be challenged again next Tuesday in the second group game in Boston against Ghana. The Croatians, who were runners-up in the 2018 World Cup and third in the 2022 World Cup, will then face outsiders Panama in Toronto.