World Cup 2018: Harry Kane nets double, late winner over Tunisia
England hero Harry Kane has taken aim at Tunisia’s tactics and the match officials after a drama-charged encounter | WATCH
- Kane scores winner
- Drama as Tunisia equalise
- Skipper strikes early
- England ‘without baggage’
- How the bookies see it
- Likely England XI
Welcome to coverage of the World Cup 2018 Group G match between England and Tunisia at the Volgograd Arena. England have won the match 2-1 after a late goal to skipper Harry Kane.
King Kane makes Tunisia pay
Twice wrestled to the ground during the match, England captain Harry Kane finally evaded the Tunisian defence just as time was running out, AP reports.
Kane found an open area of space at the far post and used his head to meet Harry Maguire’s flick-on, scoring the winning goal Monday in a 2-1 victory at the World Cup.
It was relief for Kane and Gareth Southgate, who leapt into the air in delight as his World Cup debut as a coach got off to a winning start.
“The best teams in the world keep that belief in what they’re doing,” Southgate said, “and in the end they break the opposition down.”
England shouldn’t have found it so tough in its Group G opener against such opposition. Not after Kane got England off to a perfect start with an 11th-minute tap in.
But after Kyle Walker softly conceded a penalty that Ferjani Sassi converted in the 35th, many of the fouls went against England. “Maybe there was a bit of justice at the end,” Kane said.
After a scoreless run at the 2016 European Championship, Kane is finally showing the predatory instinct in front of goal that has served Tottenham so well. Euro 2016 ended in humiliation for Kane and England with a loss to Iceland in the last 16, but the team has been transformed by Southgate.
For all the placidness and togetherness within the group, Southgate has added persistence and doggedness.
“It shows the work we have put in these last few weeks,” Walker said. “Togetherness and believing in ourselves.”
At the last World Cup, England couldn’t even win a game. Low expectations for this year’s overhauled team were dispelled early in Russia when Kane reacted quickly to score after John Stones’ header was saved. But England struggled to finish it off.
When Walker’s flailing arm caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, a penalty was awarded and Sassi slotted it in to equalise.
England’s players later thought they deserved a similar call when Kane was brought down in the opposite penalty area, but the referee disagreed. Kane was pushed to ground again after the break, this time by Yassine Meriah, but again nothing was given.
Kane persisted, and delivered.
“You go until the last second,” Kane said, “and I’m absolutely buzzing.”
NEAR MISSES
England seemed destined for a familiar hard-luck story - dominance with little to show for it.
Before Kane’s opener, Jesse Lingard had a shot saved on the line before setting up Raheem Sterling, who fluffed his chance while staring at an unprotected part of the net.
Chances to regain the advantage were squandered. When Dele Alli’s header was turned onto the crossbar, Stones messed up the follow-up.
Lingard later hit the post after breaking past goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha. “The pleasing thing was the movement, the pace, the interchange,” Southgate said. “The control from the back with the ball.”
STATISTICS
However hard it was to break through, the English attack achieved its most shots on target in the first half at a World Cup since 1966 - the only time the team won the trophy.
For Kane, wearing the captain’s armband is only making him more prolific. He now has eight goals in six games as captain.
GROUP DYNAMICS
England and Belgium are the early front-runners as expected. But while England passed the sterner test, Belgium had the most comfortable start in its 3-0 victory over Panama.
England will hope the World Cup newcomers roll over as easily when they meet on Sunday.
BUGGING
The late priority in the warm-up for England was needing insect repellent. Mosquitoes and little bugs have been swarming across the city, creating an annoyance for players.
Match blog — how the action unfolded:
6.30am: Joy, relief for England
What a feeling to score a winner for @England at the @FIFAWorldCup. Loved it! No less than we deserved. ðŸ¦ðŸ¦ðŸ¦ #ThreeLions #ENG #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/Pq93wOKHAd
— Harry Kane (@HKane) June 18, 2018
Job done @England. Well done @HKane ðŸ‘ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ¥ó ®ó §ó ¿ #threelions
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) June 18, 2018
#ENGTUN Gary Lineker reaction to Kane second goal #TUNENG #England pic.twitter.com/asoQuO0XBR
— Seid Goro (@SeidGoro) June 18, 2018
England fans tonight! #ENGTUN pic.twitter.com/fOigsGMn82
— David Brent (@DavidBrentMovie) June 18, 2018
6.10am: ‘Got what we deserved’
England skipper Harry Kane has paid tribute to his team’s resilience after they left it late to seal a 2-1 victory over Tunisia in their opening World Cup game.
“It’s massive, I’m so proud of the lads,” Kane said after the match. “It was tough, especially after the first half when we should have got a few more goals.
“Credit to the lads, we kept going.
Kane said he was thrilled to score twice in such a crucial game.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” he said. “We spoke a lot about sticking together. It’s good to get the first win, we are absolutely delighted.”
The Spurs maestro said Tunisia were lucky not to give away a penalty after benefiting from one in the first half.
“There could have been a couple of penalties, especially when you look at their one. Maybe it’s a bit of justice in the end.”
5.55am: Full-time, England win
It took awhile, but England’s young side have three precious points from their World Cup opener, courtesy of star striker Harry Kane.
The captain popped up late to guide a headed shot just inside the left upright after a dour second half, in which Tunisia seemed happy to soak up pressure and try and escape with a point.
England 2-1 Tunisia
5.50am: Kane scores!
The skipper has done it again, steering a clever header past Farouk Ben Mustapha from close range after a flick-on by Harry Maguire from a corner. It’s come in the first minute of stoppage time.
England 2-1 Tunisia
5.45am: England pressing
Tunisia are just hanging on with just a few minutes to play. England are pushing for a decisive goal, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek creating mayhem down the right with his speed, but Gareth Southgate’s men can’t find a finishing touch.
England 1-1 Tunisia
5.38am: Cheeky intervention?
What seems like a pivotal moment in the 79th minute as Jesse Lingard is brought down just on the edge of the area. After a teasing wait, Ashley Young sends a harmless free kick high and wide. Gareth Southgate makes another change, sending on Ruben Loftus-Cheek for Dele Alli.
England 1-1 Tunisia
5.27am: Substitution for England
Striker Raheem Sterling is replaced by Marcus Rashford in the 68th minute as England look for another goal after a largely uneventful opening 20 minutes of the second half. Manchester United’s Rashford was impressive in a warm-up match and the pacy 20-year-old will be out to make a big impression here.
England 1-1 Tunisia
5.18am: Tempo drops in the second half
Tunisia have clearly had a rethink at half-time and are now packing their defence, daring England to try and break them down. Not as free-flowing as the first half promised.
England 1-1 Tunisia
5.05am: Back underway
The second half has kicked off in Volgograd. England manager Gareth Southgate would have been pleased with most of that first half, except for the wild piece of play that resulted in the equaliser.
England 1-1 Tunisia
5am : Latest Socceroos odds
Australia put up a strong performance in their opening World Cup match but are friendless in the latest betting, with PointsBet listing the Socceroos at $4.50 for the win. Denmark are $1.80, a draw is listed at $3.50.
4.55am: Fans weigh in
England fans aren’t happy with some of what they’ve seen in the first half ...
How was this not a penalty, he literally tackled him to the floor. This isn’t rugby x #ENGTUN pic.twitter.com/dQ7icnKt09
— Lauren OGrady (@Lauren_OGrady) June 18, 2018
Jesse Lingard #ENGTUN pic.twitter.com/80UOWyqBgB
— 9GAG Football âš½ (@9GAGFootball) June 18, 2018
4.50am: Halftime
England and Tunisia head to the sheds all square after an exciting first half. England had most of the chances and could have scored several goals, but a crazy piece of play from defender Kyle Walker opened the door for the minnows and they took their chance.
England 1-1 Tunisia
4.45am: So close for England
Jesse Lingard latches onto a free kick in the 44th minute and chips it past the keeper. He’s faced with an open goal but from a tight angle and the ball hits the post and goes out for a goal kick. Tunisia are somehow hanging on in this first half
England 1-Tunisia 1
4.33am: Tunisia equalise!
Tunisia are awarded a penalty in the 35th minute after some sloppy work from Kyle Walker in the box. A cross is sent in from the right and Walker sticks his left arm out, bringing down Fakhreddine Ben Youssef. A video review confirms the decision and Walker is given a yellow card.
Ferjani Sassi stutters his way to the ball and barely gets it past a diving Jordan Pickford into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
England 1-1 Tunisia
4.28am: Nearly level!
Tunisia get their first chance and go close to equalising as Harry Maguire is caught in possession close to his own goal. Ferjani Sassi’s opportunistic shot is deflected wide for a corner. That was nervy defending.
England 1-0 Tunisia
4.20am: Injury added to insult
Tunisia’s goalkeeper Mouez Hassen has injured his shoulder after an early barrage from England and is replaced by Farouk Ben Mustapha. England continue to dominate.
England 1-0 Tunisia
What a start. Harry strikes ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 18, 2018
4.12am: Kane scores for England
The skipper gets the opener after just 11 minutes but that was coming. An England corner is met with a powerful header by John Stones. The keeper makes an amazing one-handed save to keep it out but Kane steers home the rebound from point-blank range.
England 1-0 Tunisia
🇬🇧GOALLL ENGLAND .... get in... 🇬🇧#ENGTUN #WorldCup
— ☤ð’®ð“€ð’¶ð’¾â˜¤ (@Ravagiing) June 18, 2018
👠pic.twitter.com/RG050Vs0Pw
4.05am: Bright start for England
Just minutes into this contest and England have had two golden opportunities to open the scoring. A cross from the right from Dele Alli is met by Jesse Lingard, whose shot across the diving keeper is kept only by his legs.
They push forward again and a squared ball from Lingard finds Raheem Sterling in front and just to the right of an open goal. He scuffs his shot wide.
4am: We’re underway
Conditions are cool and clear for kick-off.
3.55am: Mosquito squadron
Like everyone else new to the city of Volgograd, the England players are trying to contend with the seasonal outbreak of mosquitoes and little bugs ahead of their opening World Cup game against Tunisia, AP reports.
After unsuccessfully trying to wave the insects away from their heads and arms during the warmup, England players sprayed themselves with mosquito repellent. Though it’s fair to say the insects are harmless enough, the swarms can be a distraction.
3.40am: The Kane gang carries England’s hopes
Gareth Southgate has named his expected line-up with a three-man defence and captain Harry Kane leading the attack.
Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire form the defensive triumvirate with Kieran Trippier on the right and Ashley Young on the left employed as wing backs. Everton’s Jordan Pickford is in goal.
Jordan Henderson got the nod ahead of Eric Dier in front of the defence with Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling forming the attacking midfield behind Kane.
For Tunisia, Sunderland midfielder Wahbi Khazri, who spent last season on loan at Rennes in France is named as captain to play behind lone striker Naim Sliti.
3.25am: Starting line-ups confirmed
The sides for the showdown between Tunisia and England in Volgograd are:
Tunisia
Mouez Hassen, Syam Ben Youssef, Yassine Meriah, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Ali Maaloul, Dylan Bronn, Ellyes Skhiri, Ferjani Sassi, Naim Sliti, Wahbi Khazri (capt), Anice Badri Coach: Nabil Maaloul (TUN)
England
Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Jordan Henderson, Ashley Young, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane (capt) Coach: Gareth Southgate (ENG)
Referee: Wilmar Roldan (COL)
3.15am: Opportunity knocks
England will look to respond to Belgium’s win when they kick off their campaign against Tunisia but this was not entirely the statement of intent that Roberto Martinez’s side would have been hoping to make.
A victory will do for a team who are, on paper at least, good enough to go far in Russia, especially after heavyweights Germany, Brazil and Argentina all slipped up over the weekend.
3am: England ‘without baggage’: Southgate
England will go into their opening game of the World Cup against Tunisia free of the psychological burden that has built up after a string of limp tournament exits, manager Gareth Southgate said.
England fell at the first hurdle in Brazil four years ago after failing to win a group stage game.
Two years later they were knocked out of Euro 2016 by minnows Iceland, leading to criticism that a team that was once one of the world’s top sides had lost the mental strength to compete.
“I think the history will help us in terms of understanding what we can improve upon and what we can do. We learn lessons of the past,” Southgate said this week.
“This team shouldn’t be burdened with it because they’re a fresh group,” the coach, who has promoted young players since his appointment in 2016, said.
“The players of the past and the opportunities of the past are gone.”
England go into today’s Group G game in the Volgograd Arena against Tunisia tipped to advance to the next stage along with Belgium. World Cup finals debutants Panama make up the quartet.
But England supporters are taking nothing for granted after a string of disappointing exits from major tournaments.
Southgate said he had focused on shoring up the mindset of his players, drumming into them the importance of sticking to the game plan and being ready for all scenarios on the pitch.
“They are discussions that we’ve had quite a bit, but of course in the end you have to just keep playing as a team and winning those matches to breed that confidence,” he said.
Captain Harry Kane, one of the many players who watched England’s campaign in Brazil fizzle out from his summer holidays four years ago, said Southgate had brought fresh, positive ideas to his new-look team.
“We want to attack this tournament, we want to create chances, we want to score goals,” he said.
Southgate said he had already informed his players who would be starting for England against Tunisia.
“I just felt it gives some clarity,” he said.
“It’s something that in a couple of tournaments I played in, the managers did in the week leading to the first game and I thought it did give everybody the opportunity to really focus.”
REUTERS
2.45am: How the bookies see it
England are warm favourites with the bookmakers to kick off their 2018 World Cup campaign with victory over Tunisia this morning.
Online bookmaker PointsBet has England a $1.42 favourite to win, with the draw paying $4.25 and a Tunisia victory $8.50.
In PointsBet’s “draw no bet” market, in which bets are refunded in the event of a draw, England are a $1.11 chance with Tunisia at $6.70.
A 1-0 victory is the most favoured correct margin, paying $5.25) from a 2-0 England victory ($6) and a 0-0 draw ($9).
Not surprisingly, England captain Harry Kane is a hot favourite at $3.45 to be the first goalscorer of the match. If you think Tunisia will be the first to trouble the scorer, Wahbi Khazri and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef are the favoured options at $14.
2.30am: Who will England start with?
British media have speculated that England manager Gareth Southgate is likely to give Raheem Sterling the nod to start in attack alongside captain Harry Kane, with Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy on the bench.
In defence, Ashley Young is expected to get the nod at left back ahead of Danny Rose with Kieran Trippier on the opposite flank.
Leicester City’s Harry Maguire could start on the left of a trio of central defenders with John Stones in the middle and Kyle Walker on the right. Jordan Henderson of Liverpool is believed to be the holding midfielder with Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli in more advanced roles.
Everton’s Jordan Pickford, who has been given the No.1 jersey, is expected to start in goal.
LIKELY ENGLAND TEAM: 1 Jordan Pickford (GK); 18 Ashley Young, 2 Kyle Walker, 5 John Stones, 6 Harry Maguire, 12 Kieran Trippier; 7 Jesse Lingard, 8 Jordan Henderson, 20 Dele Alli; 9 Harry Kane (c), 10 Raheem Sterling. Interchange (from): 13 Jack Butland (GK), 23 Nick Pope (GK); 3 Danny Rose, 15 Gary Cahill, 16 Phil Jones, 17 Fabian Delph, 22 Trent Alexander-Arnold; 4 Eric Dier, 21 Ruben Loftus-Cheek; 11 Jamie Vardy, 14 Danny Welbeck, 19 Marcus Rashford.
Additional reporting: Reuters/AP/AFP
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