England defeats Croatia 4-2 in 2026 World Cup opening match

England secured a 4-2 victory against Croatia in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup held in Dallas. Harry Kane opened the scoring for England via a penalty in the 12th minute after a foul by Luka Modric, followed by Martin Baturina's equalizer for Croatia in the 36th minute. Kane restored England's lead with a header in the 42nd minute, but Petar Musa leveled the score at 2-2 just before halftime following an assist from Ivan Perisic. In the second half, Jude Bellingham put England back in front with a goal assisted by Anderson. Marcus Rashford finalized the 4-2 scoreline in the 85th minute to secure the win. The match was officiated by French referee Clement Turpin. This result places England at the top of Group 12, which also includes Ghana and Panama.