Harry Kane scored a first-half brace, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added goals after halftime and England kicked off its World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday in an entertaining Group L clash at Arlington, Texas.

The Three Lions earned their third victory in four major international tournaments against Croatia despite twice giving back their lead. Manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad also grabbed a measure of revenge for the lone defeat among those games, a 2-1 loss in extra time in the 2018 World Cup semifinals.

Martin Baturina and Petar Musa scored before halftime for Croatia, which is trying to reach the semifinals or better for a third World Cup after finishing second in 2018 and third in 2022.

Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic made all seven of his saves after halftime to keep his side in contention until Rashford added England’s insurance goal in the 85th minute.

England will face Ghana while Croatia matches up against Panama in their respective second group-stage matches on Tuesday.

Croatia had been the stronger team in the final minutes heading into halftime, but it was all England early after the break. Bellingham scored his second career World Cup goal in the 47th minute from an attack down the right flank.

Elliot Anderson played the ball down the wing for Bellingham, and Noni Madueke’s run up the middle required Croatia center back Luka Vuskovic to defend the pass. The Real Madrid midfielder took advantage of the space, surging forward into the penalty area and hammering a low finish off the inside of the far post.

Only some astonishing play by Livakovic kept Croatia from conceding again by the hour mark, including an exceptional triple-stop of Nico O’Reilly, Anthony Gordon and Ezri Konsa in the 56th minute. A minute later, he twice denied Kane from registering a second career World Cup hat trick.

When England’s deserved fourth goal eventually came, it also stemmed from an attack down the right. Morgan Rogers was involved before Bukayo Saka switched the ball to Rashford on the left. Rashford cut the ball back to his right foot and drove a low finish beyond Livakovic’s dive.

Kane took his career World Cup goal total to 10 before halftime. In the 12th minute, he converted from the spot on the second attempt after Livakovic came off his line too early while stopping the first. In the 42nd minute, he answered Baturina’s leveler with a header of Declan Rice’s corner kick.

–Field Level Media

Sonia Citron collected 26 points and 12 rebounds and Michaela Onyenwere scored a season-high 22 points to fuel the Washington Mystics to an 88-81 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.

Citron made 7 of 13 shots from the floor and all 12 attempts from the free-throw line.

Onyenwere followed up three consecutive 17-point performances by sinking 8 of 12 shots from the floor — including all four attempts from 3-point range. She had not scored so many points since a 24-point outburst on July 7, 2023.

Lauren Betts added 13 points and seven rebounds in her first start for the short-handed Mystics (6-7, 3-3 in Commissioner’s Cup), who overcame the absences of Shakira Austin (knee soreness) and Kiki Iriafen (right ankle sprain).

Connecticut’s Aneesah Morrow came off the bench to produce 11 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season.

Leila Lacan also had 11 points for the Sun (2-14, 0-6), who made just 4 of 20 shots from 3-point range (20.0%) while extending their losing streak to a season-low six in a row.

Betts made a pair of free throws to stake Washington to a 61-53 lead before Connecticut turned up the intensity and forged a 70-70 tie on Lacan’s layup with 5:46 to play.

The Mystics regained their composure. After Onyenwere drilled a layup and a 3-point attempt, Citron went on a personal 7-1 run against the Sun to give Washington an 86-75 lead with 1:29 to go.

Diamond Miller’s long 3-pointer got Connecticut as close as 86-81 with 35.2 seconds to play, but the Sun could draw no closer.

After the teams swapped the lead eight times in the first half, Kennedy Burke sank a 3-pointer to bring Connecticut within two at 50-48. Washington’s Cassandre Prosper responded from beyond the arc on the next possession, then Onyenwere added another 3-pointer to help extend the lead to 61-53.

Onyenwere scored eight of Washington’s first 12 points of the game, highlighted by draining a contested 3-pointer to help her club to an 18-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Mystics extended their advantage to 34-27 when Georgia Amoore set up Citron’s driving layup, then sank a 3-pointer on the next possession.

–Field Level Media

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez dismissed questions about Cristiano Ronaldo’s role after a frustrating World Cup opener, defending his decision to keep the captain on for the full 90 minutes in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ronaldo went without a shot on target in Houston, extending his scoreless streak to five straight World Cup matches and 10 consecutive games at major tournaments. The 41-year-old forward hasn’t scored a non-penalty goal at a World Cup or European Championship since June 2021, but Martinez said removing him was never a serious consideration while Portugal chased a winner.

“It makes no sense to get the best goal scorer in world football out in a game that you need goals,” Martinez said.

Ronaldo, Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 143 international goals, became only the second player to appear in six World Cups, following Lionel Messi. But unlike Messi, who scored a hat trick Tuesday, Ronaldo’s bid to become the first player to score in six different World Cups will have to wait.

Portugal started strong, with Joao Neves scoring in the sixth minute, but the early advantage didn’t lead to sustained pressure. Martinez said the goal had the opposite effect, with Portugal becoming too cautious in possession and allowing DR Congo to reset defensively.

“We started very, very well,” Martinez said. “Scoring the goal — which is normally a moment when the emotion of scoring helps you keep control of the match and try to score a second goal — had the opposite effect.”

Portugal continues Group K play on Tuesday against Uzbekistan in Houston.

–Field Level Media