Harry Kane scored twice in the first half as England eventually saw off Croatia 4-2 to launch their World Cup title assault in Texas on Wednesday.
Jude Bellingham, immediately after half-time, and substitute Marcus Rashford with five minutes to go ensured a winning start for Thomas Tuchel’s side after Croatia had fought back to level at 2-2.
The prolific Kane twice put England ahead in the first half – one a retaken penalty – only for Martin Baturina and Petar Musa to hit back for 2018 runners-up Croatia.
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With both sides shaky at the back, the second half threatened another goal glut, Bellingham needing just two minutes to put England ahead again in front of a crowd of 70,000.
England had numerous chances to extend their lead immediately after, but did not take them until Rashford popped up.
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The meeting was a repeat of the 2018 semi-final, which Croatia won 2-1 after extra-time, although England have since had the edge against one of the older squads at the tournament in North America.
“I thought it was a game of two halves. First half, we were OK. Really disappointed to concede in the way we did, I thought we dropped off,” England captain Kane told ITV.
“Credit to the manager, he gave us a speech at half-time and said if we lose, we lose in our way and I think we saw that in the way we came out in the second half. We went full gas and they couldn’t live with it. Credit to everyone for the first game of the tournament.”
Thomas Tuchel’s side, bidding to deliver England a first major trophy since 1966, made a nervy start in front of a packed house at the impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Then the drama came.
Croatia’s talismanic captain Luka Modric dangled out a leg and caught Noni Madueke in the box.
Kane saw his unconvincing penalty saved by Dominik Livakovic, only for French referee Clement Turpin to order a retake after video replays deemed the stopper had come off his line.
“It’s tiny, it’s minimal but you can see between the white of the line and the heel of Dominik Livakovic’s boot, there’s green,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told the BBC.
“He’s definitely off his line.”
Turpin once sent off Tuchel in the Champions League and the referee taking charge of the game had been highlighted by English media this week.
Bayern Munich predator Kane held his nerve second time around, again going to Livakovic’s left but this time in more ruthless fashion to give England the lead after 12 minutes.
Some pundits, however, weren’t impressed with Kane’s stutter-step run up.
“(It) should be banned,” former Ghana star Kevin-Prince Boateng said on SBS.
Loud boos rang out for the drinks break, given the match was under a roof and not the unforgiving Texas sun.
On the half-hour England should have gone 2-0 up, Bellingham narrowly failing to make contact with Madueke’s delicious low cross.
On 36 minutes Croatia drew level.
England squandered the ball in midfield, then Petar Sucic left John Stones on the floor with some neat footwork to set up Baturina.
The 23-year-old met the ball first time and whipped it past Jordan Pickford, who got a hand to the ball.
Zlatko Dalic’s side were level for just six minutes as a Declan Rice corner found Kane unmarked and the captain nodded home.
It took skipper Kane to 10 World Cup goals, the most of any England player along with Gary Lineker.
Tuchel, who has made it clear that winning the World Cup is his aim, barely smiled.
Putting the seal on a frenetic first half, Musa took advantage of more poor England defending in the fifth minute of injury time to stroke the ball in from close range for 2-2.
Rice praised manager Tuchel for his half-time motivation.
“All round in the second half, it was a great performance,” Rice told ITV.
“(Tuchel) was top at half time, the words he used and what he said. It was one of those moments when you are like, ‘Wow, what a great manager’.”
The second half started just as the first ended – with a goal – as Bellingham galloped down the right unchallenged and rolled the ball into the corner.
“The Jude Bellingham argument is over with,” Manchester United legend Gary Neville said on ITV.
“We can’t be disrespectful to Morgan Rogers because he’s a brilliant player. But Jude Bellingham is the top player. He and Kane in attack are the difference.”
Former England forward Ian Wright added: “I can’t believe people doubted Bellingham. He is a top, top player.”
He continued: “I can’t remember a chance when England have gone forward and looked so dangerous.”
Kane and Nico O’Reilly twice each, and Bellingham, had good chances for a 4-2 lead as England pummelled the Croatia goal.
With 15 minutes left and England retreating, Croatia had several opportunities, before Rashford made the three points safe.
“The first half was nervy and we struggled to find momentum. There were too many passes backwards. Even off the ball, we were not brave enough,” Tuchel told ITV.
“I loved the reaction of the players in the second half.
“It took us a while to get going, but we did get going and that is the positive.”