Kane scores twice as England beat Croatia 4-2 in World Cup opener

England launched their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Texas on Wednesday. Captain Harry Kane netted twice in the first half, and Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford added goals to secure the win. Croatia had fought back to level the score at 2-2, with Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scoring for the 2018 runners-up. The match, a repeat of the 2018 semi-final where Croatia emerged victorious, saw England take an early lead through Kane's penalty. The penalty was retaken after the Croatian goalkeeper came off his line. Kane converted the second attempt, but Croatia equalized through Baturina. Kane then scored a header before halftime, making him England's joint-highest World Cup scorer alongside Gary Lineker. After halftime, Bellingham quickly put England back in front. Despite numerous chances to extend their lead, England only sealed the victory when Rashford scored late in the game. The game was played in front of a crowd of 70,000 in the air-conditioned stadium, with boos heard during a drinks break due to the indoor conditions.

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Harry Kane scored twice in the first half as England eventually saw off Croatia 4-2 to launch their World Cup title assault in Texas on Wednesday.