ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bellingham to rescue

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.

Now it was all England, and Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham — preferred to Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role — surged upfield, forcing Livakovic to smother.

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.

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.

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.

AFP

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Former Venezuelan international footballer and football analyst Alejandro Moreno has argued that Argentina captain Lionel Messi was fortunate to remain on the pitch during his side’s 3-0 victory over Algeria at the FIFA World Cup, insisting that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner should have received a red card for a dangerous challenge.

Messi was the star of the match, scoring a memorable hat-trick as reigning world champions Argentina opened their campaign with a convincing win. However, a controversial first-half incident involving the Inter Miami forward has continued to generate debate among football fans and pundits.

The incident occurred midway through the opening half when Messi challenged Algerian defender Aissa Mandi for possession. Replays appeared to show the Argentine star making contact with Mandi’s calf with his studs raised, leaving the defender in visible discomfort.

Despite protests from Algerian players and concerns raised by commentators, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak allowed play to continue without issuing either a yellow or red card.

The decision quickly became one of the major talking points of the match, particularly after Messi went on to score two additional goals in the second half to complete the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious international career.

Speaking on ESPN, Moreno expressed disbelief that the challenge was not punished more severely.

According to the former striker, the tackle met the criteria for a straight red card and should have prompted intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

“It’s 100 percent a red card for Lionel Messi,” Moreno said.

“It should have been. It also feeds into the narrative that football’s biggest stars often receive preferential treatment from officials.”

Moreno suggested that the incident would likely have been judged differently had it involved a less prominent player.

The former Venezuela international also pointed to television footage showing FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacting to one of Messi’s chances later in the game, arguing that such moments contribute to perceptions that the Argentine icon enjoys special treatment.

“When Messi was close to completing his hat-trick and goalkeeper Luca Zidane made a save, cameras showed Gianni Infantino smiling as if to say, ‘that was close,’” Moreno said.

“That only reinforces the belief among some people that certain players receive a different level of treatment.”

Moreno further questioned the role of VAR officials, arguing that the replay footage clearly warranted a second look by the match referee.

“We don’t even need a freeze-frame image,” he said.

“If you watch the challenge in real time, it already looks reckless. Then you see the replay, and it becomes even more obvious that it was dangerous. Somebody should have called the referee over to review it.”

He added that the nature of the contact made the incident particularly serious.

“As much as I admire Lionel Messi, it was a clumsy challenge and a bad tackle. He raked the back of the defender’s calf from the knee all the way down toward the ankle. That should have resulted in a red card.”

The controversy has attracted additional attention because Marciniak was also the referee who officiated Argentina’s dramatic victory over France in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Despite the debate surrounding the incident, the referee’s decision stood, and Messi remained on the field to inspire Argentina to victory. His three goals not only secured all three points for the defending champions but also strengthened his place among the greatest players in World Cup history.

Nevertheless, discussions over whether the Argentine superstar should have been dismissed continue to divide football fans, with many arguing that the incident highlights the broader debate about consistency in refereeing and the influence of star players on major decisions.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Democratic Republic of Congo made a memorable return to the FIFA World Cup after a 52-year absence, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Portugal in their Group K opener and frustrating one of Europe’s strongest sides.

The result represented a significant achievement for the Leopards, who were making their first World Cup appearance since 1974. It also extended Portugal’s disappointing record in opening World Cup matches, with the European nation managing just one victory in its last five tournament openers.

Portugal appeared set for a comfortable evening after making a dream start to the encounter. Just six minutes into the game, midfielder João Neves rose highest to connect with a precise cross from Pedro Neto, heading the ball beyond the goalkeeper to hand his side an early lead.

The goal continued an impressive run of form for the young midfielder, who has now scored four times in his last two competitive international matches.

Despite falling behind early, DR Congo refused to be intimidated and gradually settled into the contest. The African side began creating opportunities of their own, with Yoane Wissa narrowly missing the target before veteran striker Cédric Bakambu saw a promising effort blocked by Portugal’s defence.

Although Portugal controlled large spells of possession and showcased their midfield quality through players such as Bruno Fernandes, they struggled to convert their dominance into clear-cut chances. Fernandes produced a brilliant pass to release Nuno Mendes behind the Congolese defence, but goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi reacted quickly to deny the full-back and keep his side in the game.

As the first half progressed, DR Congo grew increasingly confident and organised. Their determination was rewarded shortly before the break when Wissa capitalised on poor marking from a corner kick. Left completely unchallenged inside the penalty area, the forward powered a header beyond goalkeeper Diogo Costa to level the scores.

The goal was a landmark moment for the Central African nation, as it marked DR Congo’s first-ever goal in FIFA World Cup history.

The equaliser sparked celebrations among the Congolese supporters and highlighted the team’s resilience after a difficult start.

Portugal attempted to regain control after the interval and increased the intensity of their attacks. Head coach Roberto Martínez introduced Francisco Conceição, whose pace and creativity immediately added urgency to the Portuguese frontline.

The substitutes nearly made an instant impact when João Cancelo found the net with an acrobatic finish, only for the assistant referee to raise the offside flag and rule the effort out.

DR Congo continued to pose a threat on the counterattack. Bakambu came close to putting his side ahead when he struck the post during a dangerous attacking move, although the chance was eventually cancelled out due to a foul earlier in the build-up.

Portugal’s all-time leading scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, was later presented with his clearest opportunity of the evening. However, the veteran forward was unable to convert Francisco Conceição’s inviting delivery as the Congolese defence held firm.

Both teams pushed for a winning goal during an entertaining final phase of the match, but neither side could find the breakthrough needed to claim all three points.

For DR Congo, the draw represents a major step forward and a dramatic contrast to their only previous World Cup appearance, where they lost all three matches without scoring a single goal.

With upcoming group-stage fixtures against Uzbekistan and Colombia still to come, the Leopards have given themselves a realistic chance of advancing to the knockout rounds and continuing what is already shaping up to be a historic World Cup campaign.

Meanwhile, Portugal will be left frustrated after failing to convert their dominance into victory and will now face added pressure in their remaining Group K matches as they seek qualification for the next stage of the tournament.