England surge to thrilling opening win in World Cup cracker with Croatia
Thomas Tuchel made it plain that when the stress came with the serious business of World Cup matches, he believed his England team would thrive. What had gone before, especially the friendly matches, was little more than a distraction. Here in the Lone Star state, which tallies with what England have on their shirts, it was time to make a statement about that second star.
There was a fair helping of stress against Croatia, the 11th best team in the world and the highest ranked pot two nation in the tournament – especially in the first half. It was down to defending that was simply too open and generous. A see-saw opening 45 minutes ended 2-2, Harry Kane scoring England’s goals, the first from a retaken penalty. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa replied for Croatia. England were powerful on corners. The overall sense in open play was confusion.
And yet with the heat on, they responded. Jude Bellingham was in the mood throughout, determined to play without fear and to the point of maximum expression and it was the midfielder that titled the contest in England’s favour with a storming run and finish.
It was a powerhouse display from England in the second half. They created a fistful of chances albeit at 3-2, it remained a little too edgy for Tuchel’s liking. Croatia knew they might only need one moment and the substitute, Marco Pasalic, almost provided one towards the end, Jordan Pickford saving England with a smart block.
England had too much. A pleasing detail was the impact of some of Tuchel’s substitutes. Djed Spence almost made it 4-2 before Marcus Rashford did with a clinical finish – a jink inside and a low shot. The chance was laid on by another replacement, Bukayo Saka. England are up and running.
It was wild at the outset, fast and loose, England guilty of messing about with their buildup play, giving Croatia hope. The pendulum swung with the early England goal and it was sparked by the sharpness and determination of Noni Madueke, who Tuchel started ahead of Saka.
After Croatia could not properly clear a Declan Rice corner, which Kane won with a deflected shot, Madueke beat Luka Modric to the breaking ball. Modric’s attempted clearance turned into a hack at Madueke and the scene was set for Kane from the penalty spot.
Everybody knew what Kane was thinking about as he went through his pre-penalty routine. The critical miss in the quarter-final loss by France at the last World Cup. Incredibly, Kane missed again, the Croatia goalkeeper, Dominik Livakovic, reading his intentions and going left to save.
This time fortune smiled on the England captain. Livakovic had left his line before Kane struck the ball and, after a video assistant referee review, Clément Turpin ordered a retake. Tuchel once described the referee as “terrible” and a “1/10” performer after Turpin had sent him off in a Champions League game. Tuchel was happier with him here. Kane made the most of the reprieve, going for the same corner and watching Livakovic go the wrong way.
Thank goodness for the house that Jerry Jones built or, more specifically, the roof that the Dallas Cowboys owners put on this venue. It was a blazing 32C outside in Arlington but inside the dome, the air-conditioning was set to 22C. It made a mockery of the hydration breaks, which were booed by
the England supporters.
Zlatko Dalic had preferred Mario Pasalic to Mateo Kovacic in one of the deep midfield roles and Tuchel struggled to adapt his pressing system. Croatia were good in the first half, cohesive on the ball, able to make life uncomfortable for England in open play and their first equaliser was no great surprise.
There was a vulnerability about England at the back and when Croatia won possession on halfway from Bellingham, they dropped a ball up the inside-right channel for Petar Sucic. He jinked inside John Stones, sending him off towards Dallas, and the lay-off was whipped by Baturina into the far top corner. Pickford got a hand to it but there was too much power.
Croatia’s second equaliser had a similar feel to it. From an England point of view, it was even more galling. Josip Sutalo flipped a ball over a static England backline – where was Reece James? – and Ivan Perisic was clear and able to direct a header back to the unmarked Musa. His volleyed finish was true. It cancelled out Kane’s second goal, a thumping header from another Rice corner. This time, it was Croatia’s marking that broke down.
Tuchel could not be happy with the first half and his assistant, Anthony Barry, made that clear during a half-time interview. His conclusions? Too much nervous energy from England. Not enough sound decisions with the ball. England needed clarity. They needed a goal upon the restart and they got it from Bellingham. Who else?
Croatia could not live with his surging runs, his desire to get into areas that made life as uncomfortable as possible for them. It was a ball up the inside-right from Elliot Anderson that appeared to be for Madueke only for Bellingham to take over. He did that a lot. He was too quick for the covering Sutalo. The low shot was angled perfectly into the far corner.
It was the prompt for England to turn the screw. For a crazy spell, it felt like a school game, Tuchel’s players too big and too strong for Croatia. There was a flood of chances for them leading up to the hour – clear ones, as well – only for the finish to prove elusive. Nico O’Reilly blew two headers from Rice corners, Anthony Gordon going close on one of the rebounds. Kane had further sightings. Bellingham had another. So did Rice.
It was an entertaining spectacle, much to like in attacking terms from an England point of view. The result was the best bit.