England concluded their flawless World Cup qualifying campaign with a hard-earned 2-0 victory against Albania. Harry Kane netted two goals in the second half, securing the win for the Three Lions and maintaining their perfect record of eight wins from eight matches.
Manager Thomas Tuchel made several changes in Tirana, with seven alterations from the previous match against Serbia. Notably, Jude Bellingham started in place of Morgan Rogers, showcasing the team’s depth.
Despite Albania’s resilience as they vied for a playoff spot, England struggled to create clear opportunities early in the game. It took over 30 minutes for Jarrod Bowen’s shot to force a corner, signaling England’s first significant chance.
Although England had not conceded in their previous seven matches, Albania managed to test goalkeeper Dean Henderson with two notable attempts. However, with less than 20 minutes remaining, Harry Kane broke the deadlock from a Bukayo Saka corner before sealing the victory with a second header, marking his 78th international goal.
England now heads to the World Cup following a qualifying campaign that not only saw them secure eight wins but also maintain clean sheets in all eight matches.
Mirror Sport’s Chief Football Writer John Cross, who was present in Albania, provided player ratings following the match:
– Dean Henderson: 7
– Jarell Quansah: 5
– John Stones: 7
– Dan Burn: 6
– Nico O’Reilly: 7
– Adam Wharton: 6
– Jude Bellingham: 8
– Declan Rice: 7
– Jarrod Bowen: 7
– Eberechi Eze: 6
– Harry Kane: 8
Substitutions:
– Foden (63 mins): 7
– Saka (63 mins): 7
– Anderson (75 mins)
– Rashford (75 mins)
– Rogers (84 mins)
The Man of the Match was awarded to Harry Kane for his stellar performance, setting records and securing the win for England.