Mitch Freeley

You can watch the Live Stream of Tunisia Vs England via beIN SPORTS CONNECT. 

Match Report

Harry Kane marked his World Cup debut with a stoppage-time winner as England made hard work of overcoming Tunisia 2-1 in their Group G opener.

England's talisman and captain put them ahead in the 11th minute of Monday's clash in Volgograd, but Tunisia levelled in contentious fashion.

Referee Wilmar Roldan pointed to the spot when Kyle Walker caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with his arm and Ferjani Sassi levelled with an unconvincing penalty.

England wasted numerous opportunities prior to that leveller but will have been unimpressed by Roldan's performance thereafter, the Colombian ignoring multiple penalty appeals from the Three Lions.

Gareth Southgate's men appeared to run out of ideas in the second half, with Tunisia seemingly set to see out what would have been an unexpected draw.

But in the first minute of injury time ,they made the mistake of leaving Kane unmarked in the box for the second time and he took advantage by heading home at the far post to ensure England start the tournament with a deserved, if unconvincing, win.

Live Updates

Second Half

90+4- Peep! All over! England comes away with a 2-1 win. It was pretty flat at times, but England won't care! Harry Kane with a brace! Match Report to follow. 

90+3 Final Change for England. Lingard goes off. Eric Dier is on. A defensive move

90+2- Goal! Harry Kane with his second header of the game! England have surely won it! 

90- Four minutes of fun football left. 

88- Loftus Cheek has been a bundle of activity since coming on. It's getting awfully late in the day for England to come away with a win.

84- Khazri is off. He's replaced by Saber Khalifa. That's their final change. 

82- Dangerous corner for England. Stones smashes into Ben Mustapha. Both players are getting medical treatment. 

79- That side of  Loftus-Cheek has been ordered it would seem. Dele Alli is replaced by the Chelsea midfielder. Second sub for England. 

78-After some scrapping in the wall, Ashley Young sails his effort just over the crossbar. 

77- Dele Alli is floored. Free kick England. 

76- Trippier pitches a ball to Harry Kane at the back post, the Spurs man lays if off to Lingard. Tunisia clear their lines. They have been strong defensively today. 

75- This is very flat. England need some cutting edge and pronto. 

72- Tunisia Sub- Sliti is off! Mohamed Amine Ben Amor is on in midfield. 

71-  Sliti follows up but shoots well wide from 20 yards.

71- Khazri has a rare shot. England blocks the ball. Yawn. 

70- John Stones skips a few challenges in midfield. That is more like it! 

67- Rashford on for Sterling. England's first sub. 

67- Freekick England after Meriah bundles into Kane. Trippier's shot skips just wide! 

64- Southgate is pondering on the sidelines... How is England going to change this up? Vardy? Rashford? Maybe a dash of Loftus-Cheek? 

62- Tunisia has offered little going forward in the second half. England in particular Alli, Lingard and Sterling need to make this count. 

60- Trippier wins a corner... Hello... Comes to nothing! Stones header is acrobatically kept in play by Kane, Tunisia clear their lines again. 

58- Sterling receives the ball in the penalty area. He can't quite get it out of his feet, he's swarmed by Tunisian defenders. They get the ball away. 

57- The pace has dipped. Tunisia knocking the ball around with ease at the minute. 

54- Fakhreddine Ben Youssef sprints down the wing for Tunisia. It comes to nothing. 

53- England are keeping the ball well, they just need to make the breakthough. I have a feeling this will be the pattern of the match in the second half. 

50-Corner for England. Trippier with another good ball, but the header from Maguire is easily saved. The replay shows the Tunisian defence manhandling Harry Kane! The rascals! 

49- Safe to say it's been a tepid start to the second half. England needs to refind their rhythm. 

47- Sassi smashes into Henderson. Free kick England. Sassi is not happy. 

Peep! Tunisia get us back underway! 

First Half

Some half-time chat with our studio guests. The Verdict? It was a penalty! 

Peep- Half time. England goes in a 1-1 at the break. The Three Lions were the better side for most of that game but a moment of Madness from Kyle Walker handed Tunisia the penalty. 

45+2 Ali Maâloul is injured for Tunisia. It's a bit of play-acting in my book. 

45- Three minutes of extra time

43- Chance for England a long ball up to Lingard who pokes the ball past Ben Mustapha. It looks like it's trickling into the goal, but no! It taps the post. 

42- Harry Maguire nods the ball down to Jessie Lingard, who has plenty of time with his shot, which he smashes over. Thankfully it's been deflected to save any further embarrisment. 

38- Scrambles! The ball is thrown into the box, England battles for the ball but can't get the shot away. Stones fluffs his shot,  A VAR shout is made on Kane, it's waved away. Tunisia get rid of the ball. 

36- Tunisia can count themselves lucky to be level. England has been the better side for much of the half. 

34- GOAL! Up steps Ferjani Sassi! Fires it past Pickford into the bottom left-hand corner. Tunisia level! 1-1

33- Walker clatters into Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with his arm. The Man City man gets a yellow. 

34- Penalty to Tunisia?! We are going to VAR! 

31- England's pace on the break is a real danger. That could prove to be useful as Tunisian legs tire in the second half. 

30- A deep cross to Harry Maguire, who connects well with the header. Ben Mustapha dives to his left to save.

29- Dangerous free-kick for England after Dylan Bronn handles the ball with his shoulder... I'll let you figure that one out. 

26- Tunisia knock the ball around the area, trying to fashion a chance, the ball eventually falls to Ferjani Sassi who smashes a shot which deflects off Harry Maguire for a corner. 

23- Tunisia knocks a hopeful ball up to Khazri  Jordan Pickford is quick off his line to deny his former team-mate. 

22-Dylan Bronn breaks down the left for Tunisia, wins a corner. The cross from Khazri is deep, eventually falling to Naïm Sliti who smashes the shot over. 

19- So much for the slow start. England has flown out of the blocks. 

17- Two quick chances for England, a cross from Trippier evades everyone but the ball goes back to Henderson, his powerful shot is saved by Ben Mustapha

16- Tunisia are looking to press England at every opportunity. 

13- Looks like it's game over for Hassan who is clutching his shoulder for the second time. Sub keeper Ben Mustapha is warming up for Tunisia. 

11- Goal England! Kane taps it in! A header from John Stones is clawed off the line by Hassen Kane is on hand to tap it in! 1-0 England, it had been coming. 

9- First chance for England captain Harry Kane, it's deflected out for a corner. 

7- It's scrappy in the early exchanges as both teams look to settle into the game. 

3- Dele Ali with a delicious through ball to Lingard who squares to Sterling who fluffs his lines. The flag is raised, it wouldn't have counted anyway. Meanwhile, Tunisia keeper Hassan has knocked his shoulder but seems okay for now. 

2- What a chance for England, Lingard's drilled effort is well saved by the feet Hassen, England win a corner. 

1- Plenty of pressing from England in the early exchanges. Tunisia  keeper Hassen

Peep! England all in red get us underway! 

Always good to get the national anthems in! 

Preamble

Just ten minutes till we get underway Volgograd! If you don't fancy following the Live Updates, you can watch a live stream of the game via beIN SPORTS CONNECT. 

Could Raheem Sterling be the key man for England tonight? The winger had an impressive season with Man City, his pace on the break is going to be vital if England is to come away with the win! 

Prediction time! England's record of winning the first game in tournament football. I think it's five wins from the last 26 or so games! However, the predictions are all for the three lions! I'm going with a nervy 1-1 draw, but I'm rubbish at predicting the games! 

Gareth goes with a 3-0 win for Gareth Southgate's side! 

England 3-0 Tunisia. Kane, Sterling, Alli. — Gareth Messenger (@G_Messenger) June 18, 2018

Jack is going for a big England win! 

An emphatic 2-0 win for England. — Jack Prescott (@JackPrescott86) June 18, 2018

Top analysis from Paul Robinson &  Phil Jagielka in the beIN Studios! Jordan Pickford is more than ready for his first World Cup game!

Just under 45 minutes to Kick-off! I'm excited! Very Excited! This should get you in the mood! 

Team News! All seems in order!

On to our final match of the day...#TUNENG // #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/RkkMXsDq0T — FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) June 18, 2018

It's one of the youngest England squads heading to a World Cup in some time. I wonder how Jordan Pickford is going to cope? Luckily 2006 keeper Paul Robinson knows exactly what it feels like. 

Plenty of nostalgia when England play in a World Cup. It's mainly heartache and pain, but still, back in the day England often went to a tournament backed up with a song that the fans could sing along to. That tradition may have died out, but those songs have lived long in the memory. Here are my top 3 picks. 

1. World In Motion (New Order)- The credible pop hit for Italia 90. Just savour the John Barnes rap. Glorious. 

2. - Three Lions (Football's Coming Home)-(Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds) for many THE England football anthem of the 90's.  This song is just soo Euro 96. Just don't mention the penalties against Germany. 

3- Vindaloo (Fat Les)- A stupendously catchy song. (NANANANA-NANANA-NAANAAA)

Strangely, the mood around England has been positive. Strange considering the usual drama following England into a tournament. Anyway, Fabian Delph is confident that the squad will do the nation proud. Which is touching.  

Hello! Welcome to the Live Updates of Tunisia Vs England! It's 98 all over again as the two sides face off in their opening group game. Last time out England ran out 2-0 winners. Could that be the same result again? I guess we'll find out in a few hours. 

Preview

Tunisia opens up their World Cup campaign with a tough challenge against a youthful England side who have ambitions of reaching the knockout stages. This is not the first times the two sides have met at the World Cup after the sides faced each other back in their opening game of France 98. You can watch the Live Stream of the England match from the Volgograd Arena via beIN SPORTS CONNECT. 

Tunisia reached their first World Cup in 12 years after comfortably topping group A of African qualification. Former international Nabil Maâloul oversaw the Eagles of Carthage’s campaign and will be managing in the World Cup for the first time. 

Former Sunderland man Wahbi Khazri will not be a stranger for England fans and is likely to lead the line against England in Volgograd. Khazri came up with a number of crucial goals in qualification and will be charged with finding the back of the net against the English.  

Tunisia Predicted Team

Mathlouthi; Bronn, Syam Ben Youssef, Meriah, Ali Maaloul; Skhiri, Sassi, Khaoui; Badri, Khazri, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef

Live match stream- beIN SPORTS CONNECT
TV Channel- MAX HD3
Kick-off- 21:00
Stadium- Volgograd Arena, Volgograd

England will be looking for a strong start to their Group G campaign and will be realistically targeting three points when they take on the north Africans on Tuesday evening. Gareth Southgate has gone with a youthful squad for the tournament, and surprisingly confidence seems high in the camp heading into the Three Lions sixth consecutive World Cup. 

After enduring a difficult time with the press Raheem Sterling is set to start on the right wing and has all the assets to cause Tunisia plenty of problems. Fresh from winning the Premier League with Manchester City, Sterling had a fine domestic season scoring 18 league goals and will be hoping to use his pace and trickery to break down a Tunisian team which will be hard to break down. 

England Predicted Team

Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Henderson, Lingard, Alli, Young; Sterling, Kane

It promises to be an interesting match as  Tunisia kick-start their World Cup campaign with a matchup against  England. You can watch Live & Exclusive streaming of the match at the Volgograd Arena via beIN SPORTS CONNECT.