England made a blazing start to the knockout round against Croatia, earning an early penalty after a handball in the box. The incident came in the 11th minute, when a quick attack down the wing ended with a dangerous cross that was stopped by a Croatian defender's hand. The referee, close to the play, pointed immediately to the spot despite Croatian protests.
Captain Harry Kane took the penalty in the 12th minute and finished calmly, beating the goalkeeper and sending England into an early lead. The goal sparked celebrations among the England fans in the stands and put Croatia under pressure to chase the game.
Croatia did not collapse after the early setback. They pushed forward and were rewarded in the 37th minute with an equalizer that completely reopened the match. The article frames the opening as a dramatic and high-tempo battle between two sides that had barely settled before the decisive early action.
