Harry Kane scored twice and Jude Bellingham added another just after halftime as England beat Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Marcus Rashford sealed the win with five minutes remaining.
According to the Associated Press, Kane is now up to 10 World Cup goals, tying Gary Lineker's English record set across the 1986 and 1990 tournaments. The 32-year-old Bayern Munich striker has 81 international goals.
Kane's first goal came on his second chance from the penalty spot. Livakovic saved the first attempt, but a video review showed both of the goalkeeper's feet were off the line when Kane struck the ball. Referee Clement Turpin ordered a retake. Kane went the same direction the second time, to the right post, while Livakovic lunged the other way. Croatia had pulled level twice before halftime. Martin Baturina struck in the 36th minute after England lost the ball in midfield, and Petar Musa nodded in an equalizer on the final play before the whistle.
The second half took a different shape. Bellingham took a long pass, stayed clear of his defender, and sent a shot in off the far post just two minutes after play resumed. England then had several chances to extend the lead but did not convert until Rashford came off the bench to make it 4-2 in the 85th minute.
Kane matched Lineker's mark with a powerful header from a corner kick delivered by Declan Rice. Bellingham almost immediately had another scoring chance after his seventh international goal, and Livakovic made that save along with about a half-dozen more during a frenzied period of English pressure.
The match was a rematch of the 2018 semifinal, which Croatia won 2-1 after extra time. Croatia's captain Luka Modric, 40, extended his own national record by appearing in his fifth World Cup. Modric was also the player whose challenge on Noni Madueke drew the penalty that gave Kane his first goal. FC Dallas forward Musa, who plays his club football about 40 miles from the stadium, tracked a header from Ivan Perisic and finished past Jordan Pickford for Croatia's second goal.
The game was played under the retractable roof of the Dallas Cowboys' home stadium, giving fans relief from the muggy Texas heat. A crowd of 70,000 attended.
England manager Thomas Tuchel's side is bidding to deliver England its first major trophy since 1966. They play Ghana next Tuesday in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Croatia faces Panama in Toronto on the same day.
