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Raheem Sterling\u2019s first major tournament goal got England\u2019s Euro 2020 campaign off to a winning start as Gareth Southgate\u2019s side overcame World Cup semi-final foes Croatia.<\/p>\nRaheem Sterling\u2019s first major tournament goal got England\u2019s Euro 2020 campaign off to a winning start as Gareth Southgate\u2019s side overcame World Cup semi-final foes Croatia.<\/p>\n
Three years on from their heartbreaking extra-time loss at the Luzhniki, England exacted some sort of revenge by triumphing in the Group D opener at a pulsating, partially filled Wembley.<\/p>\n
Sterling’s goal secured a 1-0 win against Croatia on a sweltering Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
A smattering of jeers when players took the knee before kick-off made way for a start as lively as the socially distanced crowd at the first major men\u2019s international tournament match on home soil since Euro 96.<\/p>\n
England shone during the opening 20 minutes, only for Croatia to settle and take the sting out of a sharp attack that continued to underwhelm early in second half.<\/p>\n
England had never previously won their opening game at a European Championship and, just as fans began to worry that run might continue, a moment of incision cut the visitors\u2019 backline open.<\/p>\n
The impressive Kalvin Phillips cut inside and smartly put through Sterling to smash home his first tournament goal.<\/p>\n
It proved the winner at the end of a week to remember for the 26-year-old, who was made an MBE for his work for services to racial equality in sport in the 2021 Queen\u2019s Birthday Honors.<\/p>\n
Sterling continued that fight by taking the knee before kick-off alongside his team-mates, with some ignoring pleas to respect players by booing the gesture before applause and cheers drowned the minority out.<\/p>\n