Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane give Thomas Tuchel winning start in charge of Three Lions
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane scored to give new England boss Thomas Tuchel a winning start with a 2-0 victory against Albania at Wembley in their opening World Cup qualifier.
Lewis-Skelly cooled any early nerves with an ice-cold finish just 20 minutes in, becoming England's youngest-ever goalscoring debutant. The 18-year-old was handed his first England cap in his maiden call-up to the senior side.
Captain Kane made sure of victory with a fine touch and an even finer finish late on in the second half. Their goals give England a three-point launchpad in Group K of World Cup qualifying.
Lewis-Skelly's club teammate, Declan Rice called his display a "fearless" one when talking to ITV after the game.
"I knew he was going to play like that tonight because of the confidence he has," Rice added.
It was that "confidence" that allowed Lewis-Skelly, who was joined in the starting XI by the returning Marcus Rashford and fellow debutant Dan Burn, to convert a Jude Bellingham needle-threaded pass after 20 minutes to give Wembley life.
Bellingham, seemingly involved in all of England's good play, came close when he stooped to head home a Walker cross. While it was saved, the bigger chance fell to Kane who saw his follow-up blocked in the area. The resulting corner almost wrote the evening's headline when Burn's header clattered the bar, five days after he nodded Newcastle into the lead in their Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool.
In control, England limited Albania to very little in the first period, with the visitors' only real opportunity gifted to them as Jordan Pickford and Burn unconvincingly cleared a hopeful lofted ball that landed on the bar.
Tuchel's side started the second half strongly. Kane came close when he glanced a header wide from a Rashford cross but unfazed by the England display, Armando Broja's introduction gave the home side something to think about.
The Everton man, on loan from Chelsea, picked out his teammate Kristjan Asslani with a neat pass only for Ezri Konsa to get back and thwart the danger emphatically with a last-ditch challenge.
However, Kane's 70th England goal in the 77th minute was enough to pierce any growing Albanian ambition. Tuchel, who last won at Wembley as Chelsea boss in 2022, will lead England back out under the Arch on Monday against Latvia as their campaign to qualify for the World Cup continues.
Tuchel: Hopefully the win gives us confidence to get better
England boss Thomas Tuchel:
"It was exciting. A bit nervous before. It was a fantastic evening, perfect evening and temperature to play football. We had a good week ahead of the match and a great experience.
"We wanted to increase the rhythm and the risks in the second half, have one more player in the defensive line. But we were not disciplined enough in the structure. It slowed our game down, not so well organised to control counter-attacks. The second goal, the game was over.
"It's a difficult opponent, unorthodox style. We saw them in the form of the Euros, where Spain, Croatia and Italy struggled in the group stage. We saw this opponent today. Hopefully, it gives us confidence to get better."
Source: Sky Sports
