Musa levels Croatia against England in World Cup opener

Harry Kane thought he had put England in control with a penalty in the 12th minute and a second finish in the 41st, but Croatia answered with a surge that changed the tone of the match before halftime. Martin Baturina pulled Croatia level in the 35th minute, and Petar Musa then completed the comeback swing in the fifth minute of stoppage time, finishing Ivan Perišić’s sharp, surgical pass to make it 2-2 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The goal mattered not just on the scoreboard but in the psychology of the night. England had twice led in the opening half of the Group L meeting at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, yet Croatia stayed in range long enough to punish a defensive lapse just before the break. That kind of timing can redraw a match: one side goes from thinking about protecting a lead to wondering how to regain control, while the other walks into halftime with momentum and belief.

For Musa, the moment carried extra weight. The FC Dallas forward scored his first World Cup goal in front of a crowd that already knew him from Major League Soccer, turning a familiar local setting into a national-stage breakthrough. The finish came just as the first half was closing, with Perišić providing the vision and Musa applying the decisive touch to leave England and Croatia level at 2-2.

The match had been framed before kickoff as a clash of heavyweights with deep World Cup pedigrees. FIFA described England as a former world champion and Croatia as the 2022 runner-up, underscoring the scale of the opening Group L fixture. That context made the first-half exchange even more significant: England’s early authority, built through Kane’s penalty and his second goal, was undone by Croatia’s ability to respond twice before the interval.

ITV’s live coverage also reflected the swing, noting that Croatia reached halftime tied 2-2. By then, Musa’s equalizer had already become the defining flashpoint of the opener, a goal that turned a controlled England lead into a contested fight and set up a second half shaped by pressure, adjustment and the search for the next mistake.