England\u2019s Harry Kane (9) celebrates after scoring a goal throughout the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Croatia in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 Hey, Jude, you and Harry didn\u2019t let England down.<\/p>\n
Harry Kane scored twice to equal the English record for World Cup goals, and Jude Bellingham put England in front for good two minutes into the second half of a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered each of Kane\u2019s first-half goals in a rematch of a 2018 semifinal won by Croatia. Musa\u2019s goal got here on the ultimate play before the whistle ending the primary half.<\/p>\n
READ: World Cup 2026: How are the favorites shaping up?<\/strong><\/p>\n The even rating didn\u2019t last long once play resumed.<\/p>\n Bellingham took an extended pass from Elliot Anderson and stayed clear of the defender the remaining of the way in which, sending a shot past Dominik Livakovic and in off the far post. Marcus Rashford padded the lead within the eighty fifth minute.<\/p>\n \u201cHe just told us to let the shackles off,\u201d Kane said of coach Thomas Tuchel\u2019s halftime message after Croatia pulled even so late before the break. \u201cThe way in which we conceded that second goal will not be the team we would like to be. He finally just said, \u2018What\u2019s the worst that may occur? We lose the match, first group game, we get on with it.\u2019 We move on. Just go and sort of show the world who we may be.\u201d<\/p>\n Kane, who won the Golden Boot on the 2018 World Cup in Russia by scoring six times, is as much as 10 World Cup goals, tying Gary Lineker\u2019s mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.<\/p>\n The 32-year-old\u2019s first goal got here on his second likelihood on a penalty kick after Livakovic\u2019s save on the primary try was nullified by a video review that showed each his feet off the goal line as Kane was striking the ball.<\/p>\n England\u2019s Jude Bellingham (10) celebrates his team\u2019s third goal throughout the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Croatia in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kane went the identical way toward the suitable post with the second attempt, while Livakovic lunged the opposite direction, to his right.<\/p>\n The penalty was called when Luka Modric, the 40-year-old midfielder who prolonged his Croatian record by appearing in his fifth World Cup, kicked Noni Madueke within the thigh.<\/p>\n Kane matched Lineker\u2019s mark when the Bayern Munich striker easily beat Livakovic with a robust header off a corner kick from Declan Rice. Kane has 81 international goals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe scored two goals that were good actions and good situations, but they were too little,\u201d Croatia coach Zlatco Dalic said through an interpreter. \u201cEngland was very difficult, (we) also need to be strong on the defensive side.\u201d<\/p>\n Bellingham almost immediately had one other great scoring likelihood after the Real Madrid player\u2019s seventh international goal. Livakovic made that save and a couple of half-dozen more in a matter of minutes during a frenetic English attack.<\/p>\n \u201cWe could have scored probably three goals in that 20-minute spell coming out (after halftime),\u201d Kane said. \u201cIn the long run, we just had an excessive amount of for a fantastic team that may probably go far within the tournament themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Musa scored the primary World Cup goal for an energetic player from Dallas of Major League Soccer, which plays its home games about 40 miles from AT&T Stadium.<\/p>\n The retractable-roof venue that’s home to the NFL\u2019s Dallas Cowboys is giving World Cup fans an air-conditioned reprieve from the muggy Texas heat, this time for white-clad English fans and Croatian supporters who were mostly wearing their country\u2019s familiar red-and-white checkered uniforms, not the blue kits the players had on.<\/p>\n Musa tracked a header from Ivan Perisic and put a one-timer past Jordan Pickford, who was also beaten within the thirty sixth minute by Baturina. That shot into the left corner ticked off Pickford\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n Bukayo Saka\u2019s pass left loads of room for Rashford because the Barcelona player entered the penalty area, faked a shot together with his left foot and scored his nineteenth international goal together with his right.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved the second half, all of it,\u201d Tuchel said. \u201cI encouraged them to go for it. To play with more courage, to be brave, to be ourselves. And like I said, I loved their response.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"England's](\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/06\/AP26168778609957-scaled.jpg\")
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