Chaos erupted in Manchester's Freight Island fanzone as Harry Kane scored England's first goal of the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions faced Croatia in their opening group game in Dallas, Texas, as part of the expanded tournament hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Dream Start for England
England got off to a dream start when Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke, earning a penalty. Captain Harry Kane's initial effort was saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, but referee ordered a retake due to encroachment by two Croatian players. Kane made no mistake second time around, slotting home to give England a 12th-minute lead.
Wild Celebrations at Freight Island
At the 'We Are Football' festival in Freight Island, over 2,000 fans packed in to watch the match. As England opened their account, beer flew through the air and a sea of bodies bounced around in joy.
Croatia Stuns the Crowd
That joy was cut short when Martin Baturina's thundering strike drew Croatia level in the 36th minute, leaving fans in stunned silence. However, it took Kane just eight minutes to restore the lead with a powerful header from a corner, sending the raucous venue into raptures again.
Action-Packed First Half
In an action-packed first half, Croatia levelled again just before the whistle, with Petar Musa volleying home to make it 2-2 at the break.
