<p class="title">England coach Gareth Southgate said he was delighted with his team's performance despite having to rely on an injury-time Harry Kane goal to beat Tunisia in their opening World Cup match on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">England lie second in Group G behind Belgium on goal difference and can all but secure qualification for the knockout stages with a win against Panama on Sunday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kane volleyed England in front from close range after 11 minutes but the Three Lions almost paid a heavy price for missing a slew of first-half chances.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tunisia's Ferjani Sassi slotted home a softly-awarded penalty after Kyle Walker's arm contacted Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, who went down in a heap.</p>.<p class="bodytext">England dominated possession but grew less effective as the second half wore on before Kane's 91st minute header saw him mobbed by his teammates in celebration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We recovered from a really harsh (penalty) decision and kept our composure, which pleased me," Southgate told reporters after the match.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was the first time England had scored twice in a World Cup finals game since drawing 2-2 with Sweden in 2006 prolific man-of-the-match Kane's double were his first goals in a major tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even at 1-1 I was really proud of the performance," said Southgate. "I've talked a lot leading up to this game that the performance is key, because that's what you can control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There were things in the game that we couldn't control tonight that we reacted really well to.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even though the clock was running down, we stayed patient. Good teams score late goals, because if you dominate the ball like that, the opposition tire."</p>.<p class="bodytext">England had started brightly in a blur of passing and movement and could have been two goals up inside the first four minutes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We created a lot of clear-cut chances in the first half, as many as I can remember us having," said Southgate after England had six shots on target, reportedly their most in a half of World Cup football since the 1966 semifinal against Portugal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli struck the woodwork and Kane was wrestled to the ground on at least a couple of occasions at corners, but the referee and VAR saw nothing wrong to the dismay of Southgate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think if it's a penalty at one end it has to be a penalty at the other," said Southgate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Once the first one is given it wasn't going to be overturned (by VAR) because it wasn't a clear and obvious error. If penalties are going to be given for that, it is going to be an interesting tournament."</p>
<p class="title">England coach Gareth Southgate said he was delighted with his team's performance despite having to rely on an injury-time Harry Kane goal to beat Tunisia in their opening World Cup match on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">England lie second in Group G behind Belgium on goal difference and can all but secure qualification for the knockout stages with a win against Panama on Sunday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kane volleyed England in front from close range after 11 minutes but the Three Lions almost paid a heavy price for missing a slew of first-half chances.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tunisia's Ferjani Sassi slotted home a softly-awarded penalty after Kyle Walker's arm contacted Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, who went down in a heap.</p>.<p class="bodytext">England dominated possession but grew less effective as the second half wore on before Kane's 91st minute header saw him mobbed by his teammates in celebration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We recovered from a really harsh (penalty) decision and kept our composure, which pleased me," Southgate told reporters after the match.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was the first time England had scored twice in a World Cup finals game since drawing 2-2 with Sweden in 2006 prolific man-of-the-match Kane's double were his first goals in a major tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even at 1-1 I was really proud of the performance," said Southgate. "I've talked a lot leading up to this game that the performance is key, because that's what you can control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There were things in the game that we couldn't control tonight that we reacted really well to.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even though the clock was running down, we stayed patient. Good teams score late goals, because if you dominate the ball like that, the opposition tire."</p>.<p class="bodytext">England had started brightly in a blur of passing and movement and could have been two goals up inside the first four minutes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We created a lot of clear-cut chances in the first half, as many as I can remember us having," said Southgate after England had six shots on target, reportedly their most in a half of World Cup football since the 1966 semifinal against Portugal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli struck the woodwork and Kane was wrestled to the ground on at least a couple of occasions at corners, but the referee and VAR saw nothing wrong to the dismay of Southgate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think if it's a penalty at one end it has to be a penalty at the other," said Southgate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Once the first one is given it wasn't going to be overturned (by VAR) because it wasn't a clear and obvious error. If penalties are going to be given for that, it is going to be an interesting tournament."</p>