Petar Musa scores in Dallas as England beats Croatia 4-2

FC Dallas forward Petar Musa scored a memorable goal in his FIFA World Cup debut in front of his home club crowd, but England defeated Croatia 4-2 in a high-scoring match, while nearby fan celebrations led to police intervention at a packed Dallas bar.Petar Musa delivered a first-half equalizer deep into stoppage time, striking a volley after a sequence involving Ivan Perisic and Mario Pasalic to bring Croatia level at 2-2.

The goal drew loud cheers inside the Dallas stadium, where Musa plays professionally for FC Dallas. The 28-year-old showed visible emotion, celebrating in familiar surroundings.

“The feeling was incredible to score the goal here at home,” Musa said. “But I am not happy because we lost the game.”

England pulled away in the second half, scoring twice to secure a 4-2 victory in their opening match.

Musa entered the tournament in strong form, scoring 12 goals in 13 matches early in the 2026 Major League Soccer season, which earned him a call-up to Croatia’s national team. He was substituted midway through the second half after appearing fatigued.

Away from the stadium, large crowds of England supporters gathered at The Londoner Pub in the Mockingbird Station area ahead of the match.

According to reports, hundreds of fans filled the venue and surrounding areas, with British media estimating that attendees consumed about 5,000 beers and spent roughly £30,000.

The Dallas Police Department responded Tuesday night and cleared the bar around 10 p.m. after it reached maximum capacity and was reportedly operating with limited security staff.

While police cleared the venue, many fans remained gathered outside for hours afterward.

The match and surrounding fan activity highlight Dallas’ role as a major host city during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, drawing international attention both on and off the field.