Thomas Tuchel enjoyed a perfect start to his tenure as England manager, leading the team to a 2-0 victory over Albania at Wembley on Friday night, thanks to goals from Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane.
In their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier, England quickly asserted their dominance. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Jude Bellingham delivered a brilliant through ball to Lewis-Skelly, who executed a precise low finish through the legs of Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.
Lewis-Skelly, who was a standout performer, became the youngest player in history to score on his senior England debut at just 18 years and 176 days, surpassing Marcus Rashford’s record.
England could have extended their lead before halftime, with both Bellingham and Kane coming close, while debutant Dan Burn struck the crossbar with a header from a corner. Albania posed a threat midway through the second half, with Armando Broja testing Burn and one opportunity requiring a crucial recovery challenge from Ezri Konsa. England solidified their win 13 minutes from time when Declan Rice’s cross found Kane in the penalty area. The captain controlled the ball before curling it into the net.
Next up for England is a match against Latvia, who defeated Andorra 1-0, in their following World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Monday. Tuchel, reflecting on the match, told ITV, “We can do better—we have to do better. I think we started quite well with seven or eight minutes of complete ball possession, but the opponent was difficult to break down.”
He acknowledged that England’s second-half performance was slower, lacking sufficient off-the-ball runs to challenge the opposition’s defense. Tuchel praised Lewis-Skelly, calling him an “amazing player” and “amazing personality,” emphasizing his readiness to take on responsibility.
Regarding Bellingham, Tuchel noted his critical role in the team, highlighting the fantastic assist for the first goal. He also mentioned the need for more impactful performances from players like Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden, expressing hope for more decisive actions and aggressive runs towards the box.
Declan Rice praised Lewis-Skelly after the match, stating, “He is fearless. He does everything right off the pitch, and he is only 18. I knew he would play like that tonight because of his confidence. He’s grounded, and this is just the beginning for him.”
Credit: Metro
