Key events<\/p>\n
68 min: England\u2019s pace has dropped a little bit. They were unlikely to keep that up for the entire second 45, to be fair. \u201cRoll on the Hydration Break,\u201d hollers Rich Cutler. \u201cI\u2019ve done a whole bag of Revels already, and really need to brush my teeth. How much longer? I liked those Keith Williams pictures, btw.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 min: Croatia<\/a> make a double change, replacing Musa and Vuskovic with Matanovic and Marco Pasalic. (The Pasalic who started the game, and remains on, is Mario.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 min: Kovacic steals the ball off O\u2019Reilly and sends Sucic sashaying into the England box from the right. But Sucic takes one touch too many in his attempt to beat Stones, and runs the ball out for a goal kick. A little bit better from Croatia<\/a>, who were seriously reeling and rocking back there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 min: Croatia<\/a> have calmed it down a bit since Kovacic\u2019s arrival. More possession as they attempt to settle the game down. England are still pressing hard, though, and all of the play is in the Croatian half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 min: Thomas Tuchel has been hovering on the touchline since the restart. His mere presence seems to be encouraging England<\/a> into action. They\u2019ve been super-intense in this second half. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but are England fun to watch now?\u201d splutters Matt Emerson. \u201cThis is a deeply unsettling turn of events. We haven\u2019t been fun since Joe Mercer was in charge and we got rid of him sharpish to make sure it didn\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 min: Are these words not enough? No they are not. Gallery here!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 58 min: Modric, who has looked his age tonight, is replaced by Kovacic. Croatia<\/a> had to do something. England are all over them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56 min: Livakovic punches the corner clear. Hard. But the ball comes into the box again. Kane tries to force home. Livakovic makes another save with strong hand. Then the ball\u2019s sent in a third time. Stanisic just about holds Kane off, six yards out. Livakovic with a one-man supershow!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 55 min: Madueke and James combine down the right and earn yet another corner. Rice saunters over to take it in the Arsenal style. But when it\u2019s eventually sent in, football breaks out! O\u2019Reilly meets Rice\u2019s delivery and powers a header goalwards. Livakovic sticks up a hand to stop. Gordon has another go. The keeper parries again! What a double save! But it\u2019ll be another corner, this time from the left.<\/p>\n Livakovic claws away Nico O\u2019Reilly\u2019s header. Photograph: Javier Garc\u00eda\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.25 EDT<\/p>\n 53 min: One Rice corner from the right leads to another. From the second, Madueke tries to break into space down the right, but toes out for a goal kick. He was caught late by Modric, and is unlucky not to earn a free kick just to the side of the box. But goal kick it is.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 min: Rice swans in from the left flank, opens his body, and sends a power curler towards the top right. It\u2019s not quite tucked in the far corner, and Livakovic is able to turn around the post. But it\u2019s another England corner, and Croatia<\/a> are hanging on a bit here.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 min: Croatia<\/a> need to settle themselves. Baturina buys them some time with a dribble down the right, buying a cheap free kick when finally surrounded by white shirts. Modric sends the free kick into the mixer, but Kane clears.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 min: Rice sends the corner long from the left. O\u2019Reilly, unmarked six yards out at the far post, heads wide right. One way or another, England<\/a> should be 4-2 up. Penny to have been a fly on the wall during Tuchel\u2019s half-time speech.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 48 min: Bellingham picks up possession again, and from the left-hand edge of the Croatia<\/a> D, whacks a shot straight at Livakovic. Either side of the keeper, and that was two goals in as many minutes. As things stand, it\u2019s just a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! England 3-2 Croatia (Bellingham 47)<\/p>\n If England\u2019s stars have been given the what-for, it\u2019s certainly worked! Bellingham latches onto a long Anderson pass down the right. It was meant for Madueke. But Bellingham takes charge, and barrels off down the flank, powering infield, and lashing a low shot across Livakovic and into the bottom left! What a start to the second half!<\/p>\n Jude Bellingham beats Livakovic! Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach\/ReutersJude Bellingham holds his arms out to the England fans. Photograph: Phil Duncan\/Every Second Media\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.18 EDT<\/p>\n Croatia \u2013 having been kept waiting by late arrivals England, who may or may not have been given a firm talking-to – eventually get the second half started. No changes. \u201cLivakovic\u2018s kit is so pink, I assume Anish Kapoor wouldn\u2019t be allowed to buy a replica,\u201d writes Matt Dony. \u201cBecause, if we can\u2019t make niche, faux-high brow jokes with a self-congratulatory air<\/a> in an MBM, where can we?\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Anthony Barry, England\u2019s assistant coach, has just told ITV that the team \u201cfell back into fearful patterns.\u201d Talk of nervous energy not doing England<\/a> any favours. He didn\u2019t look particularly happy.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time postbag. \u201cI\u2019m loath to defend these hydration\/match breaks, but if there\u2019s going to be even one match in the tournament with them, then all of the matches need them. Otherwise teams in matches in climate controlled conditions such as this one would be able to allege (accurately) that their group opponents had the opportunity for mid-half tactics in hotter environments that they didn\u2019t similarly enjoy. So in the interest of fairness they all need to have them\u201d \u2013 Matt Burtz<\/p>\n \u201cAs a counter-balance to Alun Pugh (25 min), I can\u2019t function at work without an endless supply of tea. That\u2019s just sitting at a desk, let alone running around a field for 90 minutes\u201d \u2013 Phil Sawyer<\/p>\n \u201cAs a neutral, I was supporting England when the match started, but after Kane\u2019s stutter I switched allegiance to Croatia\u201d \u2013 Vlado<\/p>\n \u201cI would have thought the Croatia set-piece coach would have known all about Declan Rice\u2019s corners by now. But then again, maybe even the professionals couldn\u2019t stand watching too much of Arsenal this year\u201d \u2013 Justin Kavanagh<\/p>\n \u201cLooking forward to ITV\u2019s cursory analysis of the first half, then giving it the big build up to Scotland\u2019s next game on Friday. That\u2019s how these things work, right?\u201d \u2013 Simon McMahon<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF TIME: England 2-2 Croatia<\/p>\n A suggestion that Perisic might have been offside in the build-up \u2026 but Konsa was playing him on. And that\u2019s that. A very productive half of football for England captain Harry Kane, but Croatia<\/a> simply refuse to lie down. A very entertaining match. More, please!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.53 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! England 2-2 Croatia (Musa 45+5)<\/p>\n The half looks to be petering out. Then suddenly Croatia<\/a> snap into life. Pasalic dinks forwards. Perisic cushions a header down for Musa, who opens his body and sidefoots across Pickford and into the bottom right!<\/p>\n Petar Musa beats Pickford to equalise. Photograph: Martin Rickett\/PAPetar Musa turns to celebrate after levelling for Croatia. Photograph: Alex Pantling\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.55 EDT<\/p>\n 45 min +4: Pasalic has a crack from 25 yards, looking for the top right. Always wide, always high.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +3: Croatia<\/a> pass and probe, only for Perisic to needlessly run the ball out of play on the left flank.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +1: James batters the free kick straight at Modric. He\u2019s hit better.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min: Bellingham is brushed by Pasalic, 30 yards from the Croatia<\/a> goal. He goes over and wins a soft free kick in a very dangerous position. There will be five additional first-half minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 43 min: A brilliant delivery from Rice, with a finish to suit! That\u2019s Kane\u2019s tenth goal at a World Cup<\/a> finals, and he equals a record Gary Lineker set at Mexico 86 and Italia 90.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! England 2-1 Croatia (Kane 42)<\/p>\n Rice sends the corner long. Kane steals in on the penalty spot, and powers a downward header into the bottom left. Pow! Easy as that, and Livakovic had no chance whatsoever!<\/p>\n Kane heads England back in front! Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach\/ReutersA brace for the England skipper! Photograph: Hannah McKay\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.47 EDT<\/p>\n 41 min: Madueke\u2019s presence down the right forces Vuskovic into the concession of a corner. Rice ambles over to take it \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40 min: Bellingham shipped possession in the build-up to the equaliser. First Modric, now Bellingham \u2026 opening-match World Cup<\/a> nerves can affect the best of them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38 min: Pickford got a finger to that, but was in no position to stop it. And no wonder, because Baturina\u2019s shot has been recorded as flying in at 120 kilometers per hour.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! England 1-1 Croatia (Baturina 36)<\/p>\n Croatia suddenly snap into life, and suddenly Croatia<\/a> are level! Sucic advances down the right and cuts back for Baturina, romping in from the flank. A first-time rising shot flies across Pickford and into the top left! That\u2019s an absolute belter!<\/p>\n Pickford is beaten by Martin Baturina\u2019s cracking strike. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach\/ReutersIvan Perisic vaults Baturina! Photograph: Alex Pantling\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.42 EDT<\/p>\n 35 min: James hooks in from the right. Kane wins a header at the far stick, but not convincingly, as he\u2019s under pressure from Sutalo. Croatia<\/a> clear their lines.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 33 min: Stanisic spins O\u2019Reilly out on the Croatian right, and is hauled back. O\u2019Reilly is perhaps fortunate to avoid a booking. Meanwhile on the penalty, here\u2019s Steve Bradfield: \u201cIf the taker stutters I would suggest the keeper\u2019s reaction to move is understandable which is surely the whole purpose of the stutter which would be like Kane throwing a dummy in open play.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 31 min: Kane releases Madueke down the right. Madueke curls a delicious low cross into the centre. Bellingham very nearly gets in ahead of Vuskovic, but trips over his own feet in his attempt to poke goalwards. Madueke looks dangerous every time he gets involved.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30 min: \u2026 so yes, that break appears to have allowed Croatia<\/a> to rethink and regroup. They\u2019re seeing more of the ball now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 28 min: Kane miscontrols 30 yards from his own goal, and allows Musa to dribble off with the ball. But Musa dithers when he should drive, and eventually loses control himself. Not for the first time today, England\u2019s captain gets away with one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 27 min: Let\u2019s see if that wholly unnecessary break will jigger England\u2019s momentum. Speaking of momentum \u2026 \u201cI think if the penalty taker does a stutter step then the keeper should be allowed to move off his line from the start of the stutter,\u201d opines David Flynn. \u201cIt\u2019s hard enough for the keeper without not knowing when the ball will actually be kicked.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26 min: Play restarts. Meanwhile it\u2019s been officially confirmed that the retake was awarded for both Gvardiol\u2019s encroachment and Livakovic coming off his line. Admin, glorious admin.<\/p>\n The evidence! Photograph: Martin Rickett\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.37 EDT<\/p>\n 25 min: \u201cAfter 25 minutes in a temperature and humidity controlled stadium, professional athletes stop for an ad break.\u201d Alun Pugh breaking it down so I don\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 23 min: \u2026 and that\u2019s drinks. Boos greet the unpopular Hydration Break. So what do England and Croatia<\/a> have for us here, then?<\/p>\n Vindaloo cooking sauce and an aubergine dip? They could double as drinks at a push. Not 100 percent sure of their isotonic qualities, but that\u2019s what\u2019s on the menu.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 21 min: Bellingham barges his way down the left, sent away by QB Kane, dropping deep. But he runs out of space by the time he reaches the edge of the box, and the ball breaks through to Livakovic, who gathers. England<\/a> were second best until the penalty; now they look dangerous every time they break forward.<\/p>\n Jude Bellingham in to traffic. Photograph: Richard Pelham\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.26 EDT<\/p>\n 20 min: Anderson nips in to steal a loose ball in the middle of the park. Suddenly England<\/a> are on the attack. But Anderson holds onto possession for too long, and when he eventually looks for Kane to his right, there\u2019s no room to thread the pass.<\/p>\n