He may be the tournament’s leading goalscorer but Harry Kane has failed to make his full force felt on game so far in this World Cup – as England prepare to play what is easily their biggest tournament fixture since 1996, now is the time for the time’s captain to make his mark on the tournament and propel England to the final of international football’s biggest fixture.
Harry Kane’s World Cup tournament couldn’t have started better, two exceptional poacher’s finishes giving England a victory over Tunisia in a tie that seemed destined to finish all-square.
And whilst the Englishman then went on to net a hat-trick against Panama and another goal against their round of 16 opponents Colombia, his six goals in four appearances certainly flatters him.
Following his exploits against Tunisia, three of his strikes have come directly from the spot with the other one an inadvertent touch off a shot that seemed destined for a goal kick.
Against Sweden he proved a spectator as the majority of the opportunities fell to strike partner Raheem Sterling, whose pace and running was vital in the side’s win, whilst the performance against Colombia saw him drop deeper and deeper in search of possession in a Rooney-esque fashion that was a far cry from the line leading exploits that has seen him become one of the Premier League’s most prestigious goal scorers.
The game against Croatia will see the Tottenham Hotspur striker square up against Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren, with whom he has now shared a pitch on numerous occasions.
The Croatian centre back may well have grown in confidence in recent months, with a stellar performance in the Champions League final the most notable of his recent appearances, but Kane should call back upon their previous meetings with immense confidence.
His exemplary goal scoring record against Liverpool in recent seasons is testament to his ability to cause persistent issues for the defender and he should rightly feel that he goes into the tie with a clear psychological edge.
As the two men prepare for one of the biggest games of their career, both will have clear recollections of their meeting at Wembley Stadium when the Liverpool man was taken off in the first half having been tortured by the Englishman in a emphatic 4-1 victory for the home side.
As Kane prepares for a date with destiny, now is the opportune moment to show that he is the 30 goal a season striker on the main stage – and this might be the very man to do it against.
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