The England Croatia World Cup 2026 Group L opener at Dallas Stadium delivered four first-half goals, a retaken penalty, and a captain’s masterclass. England and Croatia produced one of the most exciting group-stage matches of the tournament so far, with the Three Lions coming away 4-2 winners. Kane bagged a pair of goals, Jude Bellingham scored once, and Marcus Rashford capped the win with a tally off the bench.
Kane’s Retaken Penalty Sparks a Chaotic First Half
Kane opened his scoring account with a 12th-minute penalty that came with a twist his initial spot-kick was saved by Dominik Livakovic, but the referee ruled the Croatian goalkeeper had strayed off his line, allowing Kane to retake it. Croatia leveled through Martin Baturina before Kane restored England’s lead with a header off a corner just before the break, only for Petar Musa to draw Croatia level again right on half-time.
England controlled the second half, with strikes from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford proving the difference. England tied the United States and Norway for the third-highest Matchday 1 goal total, with only Brazil and Sweden scoring more.
2026 FIFA World Cup Group L Preview: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama →
What’s Next for England and Croatia
England now hold a commanding lead in Group L heading into their remaining fixtures. Full match details are available at FIFA.com.
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