Kane Scores Twice in World Cup, Equals England Legend Lineker's 10-Goal Record

2026 FIFA World Cup Key News

Central News Agency Report (Arlington, Texas, June 17)

Harry Kane scored two goals today, leading England to a 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening match of the World Cup. Kane now has 10 career World Cup goals, tying the record held by England's legendary striker Gary Lineker.

This Group L marquee match attracted significant attention even before kickoff. In the 2018 World Cup semifinal, Croatia eliminated England in extra time, making this rematch particularly noteworthy.

In the first half, Croatia captain Luka Modric committed a foul inside the penalty area, giving England a penalty kick.

Kane, who plays for Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, took the first penalty but was saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. However, the referee ordered a retake because the goalkeeper had left his line too early.

Kane remained composed on the second attempt, again aiming to Livakovic's left side. This time, he succeeded, opening the scoring for England in the 12th minute.

In the 42nd minute, England's Declan Rice delivered a corner kick, and Croatia failed to mark Kane. He accurately judged the ball's trajectory and headed it into the net, scoring his second goal.

This goal brought Kane's World Cup tally to 10, equaling the record set by England legend Gary Lineker.

However, Croatia refused to back down, equalizing through goals from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa.

Shortly after the second half began, Jude Bellingham added another goal for England, and substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the victory with a goal five minutes before full time.

England has long faced questions about its ability to adapt against strong opponents. In this test against a world-class team, England delivered a convincing offensive performance, though defensive issues remain to be addressed.

England's next match will be against Ghana on June 24, followed by Panama on June 27 to complete their group stage fixtures.

Croatia will face Panama on June 23 and then play Ghana on June 27. (Compiled by: Hsu Jui-Cheng) 1150618

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