Kane double helps England beat Croatia 4-2 in Group L opener

On June 18, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas, England and Croatia played out a thrilling goal-fest in the opening match of Group L at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. England emerged victorious 4-2, thanks to a brace from Harry Kane and goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, giving them a winning start.

The first half alone produced four goals. England took the lead in the 12th minute through a Harry Kane penalty. Croatia equalized in the 36th minute when Martin Baturina scored from Petar Sucic's assist. Kane restored England's lead in the 42nd minute, assisted by Declan Rice. However, Croatia struck back in stoppage time (45+5') through Petar Musa, assisted by Ivan Perisic, making it 2-2 at halftime.

England came out firing in the second half, scoring just two minutes in. Jude Bellingham finished from Elliot Anderson's pass to make it 3-2. England controlled the game thereafter, and Marcus Rashford sealed the win in the 85th minute, assisted by Bukayo Saka. Croatia pushed for a comeback but could not find the net.

Statistically, England dominated with 22 total shots (11 on target) to Croatia's 10 (5 on target). Possession was 52% for England and 48% for Croatia. England had 8 corner kicks to Croatia's 2. Expected goals (xG) stood at 2.80 for England and 0.71 for Croatia. England's goalkeeper made 3 saves, while Croatia's made 7. Both teams recorded 86% pass accuracy.

The player of the match was England captain Harry Kane. He scored two goals, had 6 shots, 2 key passes, and an 86% pass completion rate, earning a rating of 8.5. The 32-year-old Bayern Munich striker, born in London, once again proved his world-class finishing ability.

After this match, England and Ghana both have 3 points, but England leads the group on goal difference. Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in the other group match. Croatia and Panama are on 0 points, sitting third and fourth respectively.

For England, this victory provides a solid foundation for qualification. They face Ghana on June 24, and a win would virtually secure a spot in the knockout stage. Croatia, meanwhile, must beat Panama on the same day to keep their hopes alive.

Overall, England showed impressive attacking prowess but will need to tighten up defensively. Croatia, despite the loss, showed resilience by coming from behind twice. The group stage is just heating up.

For more match details, visit the match page. Follow England and Croatia for their upcoming fixtures. Check the group standings for the latest table.