Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterHarry Kane shot England to technically a perfect start against Croatia in their Group L opener this evening.The England bagsman fired his nation to a 1-0 lead at the 2026 World Cup, despite missing his initial attempt.Kane's first spot kick was saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, after an unusually tame attempt from the Englishman.Harry Kane's penalty speed vs CroatiaThe Bayern Munich man has converted all but one of his spot kick attempts for the German champions since joining in 2023.The sole penalty miss arrived after the Bundesliga side were confirmed top-flight champions... and after the opposition defender tampered with the penalty spot. You may like Why was Harry Kane's penalty taken again? Harry Kane is wearing a special sleeve patch for England vs Croatia, here's why How to watch England vs Croatia for FREE at World Cup 2026 Against Wolfsburg in early May, Kane failed to convert a 36th minute penalty, blazing his attempt off target.In tonight's opener against Croatia, the England striker's initial failure gave way for a far more difficult follow-up than many realise.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.While a spot kick is recorded as a chance worth roughly 0.79xG, a golden opportunity, that figure is believed to decrease when the same player takes a second penalty in the same game.That is likely down to mental warfare, in the event of a miss or a goal at the first opportunity, the goalkeeper gets a read on his taker regardless of the outcome that he didn't have prior.For Kane, that pressure created a remarkable ball speed that rendered his second attempt, and first goal of the game, virtually unsaveable.According to Connected Ball Technology in the TRIONDA Official Match Ball, Kanes penalty reached a whopping 121.9km/h.The England bagsman converted again later, this time a header, to put his nation ahead for the second time in the game.The Three Lions conceded once more, before goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford in the second half sealed victory for the national team in their Group L opener.TOPICSHarry KaneWorld Cup 2026Kedar BayleySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterKedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC,he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television,you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.
