Albania 0, England 2 (World Cup Qualifiers Group I)
Harry Kane and Mason Mount scored as England had to work hard to beat a stubborn Albania side in their World Cup qualifier in Tirana.
Embed from Getty ImagesKane opened the scoring shortly before half time before England hit the woodwork twice, through Kane and Phil Foden, either side of the break, with Mount curling a second past Etrit Berisha as the Albanians tired.
And in keeping a clean sheet in Tirana, Nick Pope became the first England goalkeeper to keep clean sheets in each of his first 6 appearances as England increased their unbeaten run to 23 games with wins in their last six World Cup qualifying matches – their best run since 10 straight wins between 2005 and 2009.
England have now topped World Cup qualifying Group I after two games with an important game against Poland to come at Wembley on Wednesday.
England manager Gareth Southgate made six changes from the San Marino game and Gareth Southgate opted for an all-Manchester defence with Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, John Stones, and Luke Shaw in front of Nick Pope.
And Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling flanked their captain Harry Kane up front.
Reece James, Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, James Ward-Prowse, and Jesse Lingard, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin stood down to the bench and were replaced by Walker, Maguire, Shaw, Declan Rice, Foden and Kane.
Albania had won their last four games against some relative minnows in Europe and their home stadium looked in poor condition which it was hoped would be a factor.
But England looked short of midfield creativity with a double pivot in Tirana and their usual passing game wasn’t too effective on the bobbly pitch as they toiled against the home side for over half an hour.
And Albania had a great chance to counter on England after a sloppy pass in midfield from Mason Mount allowed the home side to break and two passes later Myrto Uzuni was clean through on goal but blazed over with just Pope to beat.
England overcome stubborn Albania in World Cup qualifier
England had a few chances from early corners but Foden’s delivery was mixed and there was precious little space between their 5-man defence.
If England were to prosper from set pieces, then they won a crucial one after 21 minutes when Bare was booked for scything into Mount on the edge of the D but Kane drove the ball against Harry Maguire while trying to bend the ball over the wall.
The space was limited behind the organised Albanians but they still carried a threat on the break.
A sloppy pass to Sterling was short and intercepted, Elseid Hysaj’s ball into England area was well timed for two attackers but Pope was quickly off his line to gather it up.
With England’s attackers nullified, Walker chanced his arm with a long range shot which Etrit Berisha got down to save.
It took 38 minutes before Kane converted a Shaw cross from the left with a header into the bottom corner for his first goal in national colours for 496 minutes – since notching against Kosovo in 2019 – and 33rd goal in all for England.
It marked the 17th away stadium that Kane had scored in and he could have doubled that lead 4 minutes later when he half volleyed Sterling’s left wing cross onto the cross bar and away.
Foden had a great chance tipped onto the post by Berisha after the break after Sterling cut the ball back early in the second half.
Walker’s low cross was cut out by Djimsiti as England began to prise them open before their superior fitness began to tell.
Rey Manaj and Ermir Lenjani were brought on for Sokol Cikalleshi and Hysen Gjasula as the Albanians freshened things up.
But England scored next in the 63rd minute after a mistake by Berat Djimsiti was seized on by Sterling who slipped the ball to Kane.
The England captain unselfishly picked out Mason Mount who curled the ball round Berisha and inside the back post for his fourth England goal on his seventh consecutive England start.
England’s first change saw Kalvin Phillips replaced by James Ward-Prowse after 71 minutes.
And Kane fired wide after diving in on the loose ball after Sterling had miskicked a cross into the area by Ward-Prowse that wasn’t cleared.
Albania tried to pull a goal back and Maguire and Pope collided while going for a cross whipped in cross from the right.
The Albanians had won their first corner of the game after 78 minutes but they couldn’t muster anything to test Pope.
Foden was withdrawn for Jesse Lingard after 81 minutes and Kane’s late shot was deflected wide as he went for a second goal in added time while Sterling was thwarted by Berisha as he tried to round him right before the final whistle but in truth England found themselves comfortable winners in the end
GOALS – Albania 0, England 2 (World Cup Qualifiers Group I)
Albania 0, England 1: 38. Harry Kane escaped his marker and connected with a Luke Shaw cross from the left to head home his first England goal for 500 days.
Albania 0, England 2: 63. Mason Mount finished with aplomb, curling a shot between Berisha and the back post after Raheem Sterling had won the ball and gave it to Harry Kane who put the Chelsea midfielder clean through.
MATCH STATS – Albania 0, England 2 (World Cup Qualifiers Group I)
Albania: Berisha, Hysaj, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Vseli, Laci (Ramadani 89), Bare, Memolla (Gjasula 59), Cikalleshi (Manaj 59), Broja (Lenjani 59), Uzuni
Albania subs not used: Lenjani, Memushaj, Selmani, Ajeti, Hoxhallari, Doka, Kallaku, Kamberi, Strakosha
Bookings: Bare 21 (foul on Mason Mount); Hysaj 79 (holding back Raheem Sterling), Gjasula 90 (foul on Mason Mount)
England: Pope, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Mount, Phillips (Ward-Prowse 71), Rice, Foden (Lingard 81), Sterling, Kane
England subs not used: Henderson, Johnstone, Trippier, Coady, James, Calvert-Lewin, Mings, Chilwell, Watkins, Bellingham
Bookings: Walker 69 (foul on Keidi Bare); Kane 73 (foul)
Goals: Kane 38; Mount 63
Referee: Orel Grinfeld