England 4 Croatia 2: Bellingham, Kane & Rashford Inspire World Cup victory as Three Lions make winning start
England began their World Cup campaign with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia as Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford helped Thomas Tuchel’s side open Group L with three important points.
It was a dramatic night in Dallas, with England twice taking the lead in the first half before Croatia fought back on both occasions. Kane scored twice before the break, Martin Baturina and Petar Musa replied for Croatia, and the game was level at 2-2 at half time.
England needed a response after the interval, and Bellingham delivered it almost immediately. His driving run and composed finish in the 47th minute restored the lead before Rashford came off the bench to score a late fourth and put the result beyond Croatia.
For England, this was an important opening statement. Croatia have been one of the toughest tournament sides in recent years, and although Tuchel will know there are defensive issues to work on, England’s attacking quality carried them through a difficult opener.
Kane gave England the lead from the penalty spot after Noni Madueke was fouled inside the box. The captain’s first attempt was saved by Dominik Livakovic, but the penalty was retaken after encroachment. Kane made no mistake with his second effort, giving England an early advantage.
Croatia responded in the 36th minute when Baturina struck from distance to beat Jordan Pickford. It was a reminder that England could not afford to relax, even after controlling good spells of the game.
Kane soon restored England’s lead, heading in from a Declan Rice corner at the far post. The finish showed exactly why he remains so important to this team, not only as a scorer from open play but as a constant threat from set pieces.
Yet England could not reach half time in front. In stoppage time, Croatia found a second equaliser through Musa, who finished after Ivan Perisic helped create the opening. At 2-2, the match was finely balanced and England had work to do.
Bellingham changed that early in the second half. The midfielder collected the ball, drove forward with purpose and finished past Livakovic to make it 3-2. It was a goal full of confidence and control, and it gave England the momentum they needed after a frustrating end to the first half.
From there, England pushed for another goal while Croatia continued to threaten. Rice forced a save, England’s wide players caused problems, and Tuchel’s substitutions gave the side fresh energy in the closing stages.
Rashford eventually settled it in the 85th minute. Bukayo Saka provided the pass and Rashford finished with composure into the bottom corner. It was a strong moment for the substitute and a valuable reminder of England’s attacking depth.
The result gives England a winning start, but there will still be plenty for Tuchel to analyse. Scoring four against Croatia is a major positive, especially with Kane, Bellingham and Rashford all on the scoresheet. Conceding twice after taking the lead, however, will give the manager something to address before the next group fixture.
The World Cup is also already having an impact away from the pitch, with soap schedules across the UK being moved, adjusted and disrupted by tournament coverage. For regular soap viewers, it means a busy few weeks of keeping track of changing episode times while also following England’s progress.
At SoaplandTV, we are covering both. Alongside our daily soap news, spoilers and features, we are also following England’s World Cup journey with match reports and tournament updates.
Whether you are keeping up with Weatherfield, Walford, the Dales, Hollyoaks village or cheering on the Three Lions, our coverage is here to help you stay across it all.
England will now move forward with confidence after an opening night that offered goals, drama and plenty of talking points. Kane delivered, Bellingham took centre stage, Rashford finished the job, and Tuchel’s side have started their World Cup campaign with the result they needed.
