'People in the pubs will like this': Tuchel savours England win but sweats on Kane and Rice injuries

Thomas Tuchel’s England side set off a party in the pubs with a thrilling second-half display to beat Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener – but the manager was left sweating over injuries to Harry Kane and Declan Rice. The double fitness worry emerged after a match that saw England explode into life following a passive first half. Kane had scored twice before the interval, only for Croatia to cancel them out with two soft goals that exposed England’s defensive openness. Tuchel admitted he had urged calm at half-time, telling the players not to worry about the result and to be true to their way of playing. The message worked. Jude Bellingham surged forward to score in the 47th minute, sparking an extraordinary period of pressure. England created seven clear openings before the hour mark, though they could not convert them. Croatia briefly threatened an equaliser before substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the win in the 85th minute with a clinical counterattack. “It is what the boys did in the second half – exactly that,” Tuchel said when asked whether fans could expect more attacking football. “It is good. That is what needs to be done. Nobody can guarantee the outcome, but we can guarantee the effort. Can we expect more of that? Yes. It is good and it is rewarding. Hopefully everybody enjoyed it. And it brings a connection. I had a thought in the second half: ‘People in the pubs will like this.’ I was sweating, but that is a good watch where we created and created and went for it and won another ball and then a second ball. That is why you are in a pub and watching together on a big screen to get emotional and hopefully we can transmit that.” Tuchel’s frustration with the first half was rooted in how England dropped too deep out of possession, seeking to protect the 1-0 lead that Kane’s early penalty had given him. It was a classic England move – or flaw. Now Tuchel faces a test of his squad depth. With England’s next group game against Ghana on Tuesday, the fitness of his captain Kane and midfield anchor Rice will be anxiously monitored. The manager’s desire to entertain – and the momentum built from Wednesday’s win – could be jeopardised if either star is sidelined. For now, though, the pubs are euphoric, and Tuchel wants that feeling to last.