England started with a 4-2 win over Croatia, and Harry Kane (£10.5m) did what premium forwards are supposed to do. Two goals, penalties, 90 minutes and a proper captain score.
It was not a perfect England performance. Croatia twice pulled level before half-time, so the clean sheet was gone early. But England kept creating, pushed on after the break, and Kane, Jude Bellingham (£8.3m) and Marcus Rashford (£7.5m) all gave fantasy managers something to think about.
Here are the Demon Notes from England 4-2 Croatia: Kane's brace, Bellingham's goal, Rashford off the bench and the MD2 transfer angle.
England 4-2 Croatia
- Goals: Kane x2, Bellingham, Rashford | Baturina, Musa
- Assists: Rice, Anderson, Saka | Sucic, Perisic
- Top fantasy points: Kane 13, Baturina 10, Bellingham 9, Rashford 9, Musa 9
- Next England fixture: Ghana in MD2
Team Stats
Player Stats
| Player | Pos | Price | Pts | Return | Match stats | Fantasy note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | FWD | £10.5m | 13 | 2 goals | 7 shots, 3 on target | Penalties, set-piece threat and 90 minutes |
| Jude Bellingham | MID | £8.3m | 9 | 1 goal | 3 shots, 3 tackles, 5 recoveries | Strong all-round midfield pick |
| Marcus Rashford | FWD | £7.5m | 9 | 1 goal | Scored off the bench | Only a buy if the start looks likely |
| Bukayo Saka | MID | £9.5m | Assist | 1 assist | 18 minutes | Quality is obvious, minutes need checking |
| Martin Baturina | MID | £6.5m | 10 | 1 goal | Croatia's best fantasy return | Good player, but the group still looks awkward |
| Petar Musa | FWD | £5.1m | 9 | 1 goal | 66 minutes | Cheap return, not one to chase blindly |
Demon Notes
- Kane (£10.5m) was the obvious headline. Seven shots, three on target and two goals. One came from the spot, another from a Rice corner. That is why people pay up: penalties, set-piece danger and no minutes panic.
- England were messy before half-time. Twice they went ahead, twice Croatia came back. The attackers look strong, but the defenders are harder to trust until the back line settles down.
- Bellingham (£8.3m) scored after the break and did plenty without the ball too. He is not Kane for captaincy, but as a cheaper premium midfielder he absolutely belongs in the conversation.
- Rashford (£7.5m) came off the bench and scored late. Nice points, but the transfer decision is still about the start. If he is benched again, the goal is less useful for fantasy.
- Saka (£9.5m) only played 18 minutes and still assisted. That tells you the upside is there. It also tells you to wait for team news before spending that much.
- Croatia had moments through Baturina (£6.5m) and Musa (£5.1m), but England produced the stronger numbers. This was an England attack game, not a Croatia transfer game.
MD2 Fantasy Takeaway
England face Ghana next. Kane is still one of the strongest premium picks on the board, and Demon has him high for MD2. If your budget allows it, he is a captain option, not just a transfer target.
Bellingham is the cheaper England premium if you cannot reach Kane. Rashford and Saka are team-news plays. If either starts, they become much more interesting. If not, do not chase bench points.