England opened their World Cup 2026 campaign with a rollercoaster 4-2 win over Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 17, with Harry Kane scoring twice, Jude Bellingham adding a third early in the second half and Marcus Rashford sealing the victory late on; Croatia’s goals came from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. (espn.com)
Kane’s brace carried extra weight: his second finish — a header from a Declan Rice corner — moved him to 10 World Cup goals, drawing level with Gary Lineker as England’s all-time World Cup scorer. (apnews.com) The match was a tense, high-tempo affair from the start and served as a rematch of the 2018 semi-final, with both sides committing to attack rather than sit back. (apnews.com)
The game’s early drama involved a penalty awarded after Luka Modrić appeared to clip Noni Madueke; Jordan Pickford saved Kane’s first spot-kick but a VAR review showed the goalkeeper had stepped off his line, so Kane was awarded a retake and scored. Moments later Croatia hit back through Baturina and then Musa equalised deep in first-half stoppage time, keeping the contest alive at the break. (apnews.com)
England regained control two minutes into the second half when Bellingham latched on to a long pass, outpaced his marker and curled a low shot in off the post, forcing Croatia to chase the game amid sustained English pressure. The hosts pressed again late and Rashford’s 85th-minute goal put the result beyond doubt. (espn.com)
The match drew a crowd of about 70,389 in the climate-controlled stadium and generated an open, end-to-end spectacle that tested both defences and showcased England’s attacking depth. England now turn their attention to Group L’s next fixture against Ghana, while Croatia face Panama as both sides look to consolidate early points in the tournament. (espn.com)
Original Source: https://www.espn.in/football/story/_/id/49097138/england-croatia-live-world-cup-2026-latest-updates-commentary-score-result
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Publish Date: 2026-06-18 04:40:00
