England 4, Croatia 2: A Decisive Opening That Defied the Forecast

England produced a commanding World Cup opener, overwhelming Croatia 4–2 in a match that unfolded far more expansively than pre-match analysis had anticipated. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, but Croatia responded swiftly through Baturina's finish in the 36th, assisted by Sucic. Kane restored England's lead before the break with a second goal set up by Rice in the 42nd minute, only for Croatia to level again through Musa's effort from an Perisic assist deep in first-half stoppage time. The decisive shift came after the interval: Bellingham put England ahead for good in the 47th minute with Anderson's assist, and Rashford sealed the result in the 85th with Saka's cross providing the final flourish.

Our model predicted a 2–1 scoreline, assigning England a 53 per cent win probability — a lean toward the designated home side, but one that underweighted the attacking potential on display. The pre-match expectation rested on England's defensive solidity and Croatia's vulnerability away from home, factors that suggested a tightly contested, low-scoring affair. The match's trajectory departed from that picture: both sides demonstrated the capacity to create and convert chances at volume, with neither defence able to impose the suffocating control the forecast had anticipated. England's final margin of two goals reflects a more decisive performance than the model had weighted as most likely, a reminder that even well-founded defensive expectations can unravel when attacking quality breaks through.