World Cup: Harry Kane delivers his verdict on England win over Tunisia

Harry Kane's relief was as clear as his joy after securing England a last-gasp victory in their World Cup opener against Tunisia last night.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Jun 2018, 11:00 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2018, 16:57 BST
England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.
England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.

Gareth Southgate’s men made an outstanding start to the Group G encounter in Volgograd, where the 24-year-old opened the scoring with his first major tournament goal.

But referee Wilmar Roldan controversially awarded a penalty that Ferjani Sassi converted and the video assistant referee then inexplicably overlooked Tunisia’s manhandling of Kane in the box.

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Yet just as it looked set to end as a draw, the England captain nodded home to secure a 2-1 win that he hopes will make the “people in the pubs back home proud”.

England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.
England's Harry Kane (centre) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Group G match against Tunisia at The Volgograd Arena, Volgograd.

“We are proud of each other,” Kane said after the Three Lions started a major tournament with a win for the first time since 2006.

“In a World Cup, you’re never sure how it’s going to go and in recent years the first games have always been difficult.

“It looked like it could be one of them nights again, but we’ve got great togetherness as I’ve said before.

“You’re always proud to see it come off in a game.

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“We were talking to each other non-stop, getting each other through it. We never panicked, we never looked like conceding another, which was important, and then got we deserved at the end.”

Kane liked the way England flew out of the blocks at the Volgograd Arena, where they had to rely on character beyond their years.

“It goes to 1-1, momentum changes a bit, so I thought we recovered well from that,” he said. “It is always in the back of your mind that it is going to be one of them days.

“The ball just wasn’t falling to our player at the right time, but that’s what the character is about.”

Related topics:EnglandHarry KaneGareth Southgate