Musa scores first World Cup goal as Croatia falls 4-2

Petar Musa, the FC Dallas striker, scored his first World Cup goal on his club's home field, but his Croatian national team fell to England 4-2 in a Group L match on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The match took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, where Musa plays professionally.

Musa's goal came in the final moments of first-half stoppage time, a volley off a headed assist from Ivan Perisic that leveled the score at 2-2 just before the halftime whistle. The 28-year-old forward described the feeling as incredible but said there was little to celebrate due to the loss. He acknowledged being tired from the match's pace when he was substituted in the 66th minute.

England had taken an early lead through two goals from Harry Kane. Croatia's Luka Baturina also scored in the first half to keep the match competitive. England regained control quickly after the break, with Jude Bellingham scoring two minutes into the second half and Marcus Rashford adding another to secure the 4-2 victory.

For Musa, the goal was a personal milestone on soccer's biggest stage, achieved in familiar surroundings. He has scored 46 goals in his three-year MLS career with FC Dallas, a club he...