Last-gasp Harry Kane header snatches England win

An injury-time winner from Harry Kane gave England a crucial 2-1 victory over Tunisia, earned by a brilliant first half and dougty second half.

England ran Tunisia off the pitch in the early stages, playing with pace, fire and imagination. But despite creating a variety of clear-cut chances, they managed just one goal, tapped home by Kane from close-range on 11 minutes when John Stones' thumping header was brilliantly saved by Mouez Hassen.

Tunisia improved a little in the second half of the half, but even so, needed an iffy penalty to draw level, awarded when Kyle Walker was adjudged to have fouled Fakhreddine Ben Youssef. Ferjani Sassi put just enough on his kick to beat Jordan Pickford, who got a decent hand on the ball.

England maintained their dominance after the break, though tired as Tunisia defended deeper. But belated introductions, first of Marcus Rashford and then of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, gave them greater attacking impetus, and as Tunisia were pinned inside their own half, Loftus-Cheek forced a corner on the stroke of 90 minutes.

As it was all night, Kieran Trippier's delivery was excellent, Harry Maguire rose early and high, and his header fell beautifully for Kane, who twisted his torso to guide home a memorable winner.

So, England remain a work in progress, but when they play at speed, they are a difficult night for anyone. They now know that a win over Panama on Sunday will almost certainly be enough to take them into the knockout stages.

Why did Gareth Southgate wait so long to make changes? From late in the first half, Dele Alli was struggling and through the second half, England struggled to create chances. But it wasn't until the 68th and 80th minutes that Rashford and Loftus-Cheek were introduced. On this occasion, England got away with it, but against a serious side, momentum will not be so easily regained.

Harry Kane (England): Did absolutely nothing but clinically score the two goals which won the game.

Tunisia: Hassen 6, Meriah 5, Ben Youssef 6, Bronn 6, Maaloul 5, Skhiri 5, Badri 5, Sassi 4, Ben Youssef 5, Khazri 5, Sliti 5. Subs: Ben Mustapha 6, Ben amor 6, Khalifa 6.

England: Pickford 6, Walker 5, Stones 6, Maguire 7, Trippier 8, Henderson 8, Alli 6, Lingard 7, Young 7, Sterling 6, Kane 8. Subs: Rashford 8, Loftus-Cheek 8, Dier 6.

2’ - LINGARD... NO! England, as promised, start "on the front foot". Jesse Lingard has himself a few early touches, and one excellent sweep over the top from Henderson puts Alli away down the right! He crosses against the nearest man who then dallies, so Alli robs him and forces the ball across to Lingard in the middle. He opens his body to curl into the corner but doesn't get hold of his shot, knocking against the nearest leg which allows the keeper to save with his feet. Excellent from England but they should be in front.

11’ - GOAL! Tunisia 0-1 England (Kane). Ashley Young slings over a brilliant, flat corner that Stones meets on the running leap with a belter of a headbutt. Hassen flings himself left to claw the ball away from under the bar, but there's Harrance Kane to nod home! What a start from the champions-elect!

24’ - LINGARD MISSES AGAIN! Another chance for England, another chance for Lingard! Young is allowed time to come inside onto his right foot and bafflingly, gloriously, delivers another delectable cross. At the back post, Lingard is waiting for it, watching it onto the inside of his boot, only to confuse himself with thought of shots and crosses. So he allows the ball to dribble off it, experiencing anguish once more.

33’ - PENALTY TUNISIA! A cross comes in from the right and Walker swigs an arm. Ben Youssef is perhaps blown over by the breeze created, I don't know - there's some contact, but not much. It's enough for the ref, though, and enough for the various other refs! What a chance for Sassi, who will take the kick!

35’ - GOAL! Tunisia 1-1 England (Sassi). Sassi murmurs to himself - he's praying, I imagine - and places a slow, deliberate shot to Pickford's right. The keeper guesses right and gets something on it, but there's just enough power to take it past him.

39’ - WHAT A MISS! Another excellent delivery from Trippier sees Maguire again win the header at the back post, forcing Ben Mustapha to touch the ball against the bar. England then work it back across goal where Stones totally misses his kick - it's pretty funny - and then we go to VAR to examine whether Kane was hauled down as the cross came over. He was and then some, but for some reason, there's no intervention. Odd.

45’ - LINGARD AGAIN... Tunisia just cannot cope with Lingard's movement, and this time he appears down the right, stretching onto a through-pass from Trippier and touching around Ben Mustapha only for the ball to bobble agonisingly wide of the near post. He could've had three already.

90+1’ - GOAL! Tunisia 1-2 England (Kane). Have a look! Another fine corner from Trippier, and Maguire is up high and early again! He flicks on, and in front of goal, Kane does superbly to adjust his body position, twisting head and shoulder to head home like an Action Man figure! What a player!

Harry Kane has now scored 15 goals in his first 25 appearances for England. The last player to score more was Gary Lineker, who notched 20.

Harry Kane's second goal was England's first World Cup winner scored in time added onto the 90.