This was some start for Thomas Tuchel’s brave new world. Tuchel’s road to World Cup qualification began with a win, every big call just about came off and there was a wonderful Wembley fairytale mixed in for good measure.
Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, aged 18 years and 176 days, . Lewis-Skelly was the youngest player to score on his senior England debut, surpassing Marcus Rashford’s record of 18 years and 209 days.
It also provided the best possible feel good story of Tuchel’s first game in charge because the . Newcastle defender Dan Burn, 32, is at the other end of the scale and he is a but, at times, he looked cumbersome and sluggish.
Marcus Rashford, , justified his selection while . Harry Kane scored his 70th goal for England on his 104th cap to prove that Tuchel can rely on his Captain Marvel to keep scoring all the way up to the World Cup next summer.
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And even a at the grand old age of 34 as the Ajax veteran came on as a late substitute with the game winding down. He was given a largely positive reception by the 82,378 Wembley crowd.
It was not always the as the second half was a bit scrappy and disjointed but the win was everything. England have got 15 months until next summer’s World Cup and there were enough reasons for optimism to think Tuchel has a good balance of youth, experience and entertainers at his disposal.
The Wembley crowd definitely bought into it as a banner was unfurled before kick-off which read: “Welcome to the Home of Football, Thomas.” And they boomed out a song in his honour which almost made everyone forget about .
And few will care if Tuchel gets results. This team had a freshness, a sharpness and a real buzz as they set out to attack from the start. They had to be patient but when the opening goal arrived in the 20th minute - it was worth the wait. What a story. It will become the stuff of legend for a player with the world at his feet.
It was Bellingham’s brilliant slide rule pass - which effectively took out four defenders - to put in Lewis-Skelly who then slotted the ball between Albania keeper Thomas Strakosha’s legs. Tuchel was up and running.
There was one moment of nerves when Burn and Jordan Pickford got in a muddle, the ball ended up hitting the England crossbar and you wonder if Tuchel really fancies the Everton keeper.
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England could have scored again before half time. Kyle Walker’s cross found Bellingham and his header was saved by Strakosha and then Harry Kane seemed certain to score only for Albania defender Berat Djimsiti to somehow deflect it over.
Soon after, Declan Rice’s corner found Burn in the penalty box and the giant 6ft 7in defender headed against the crossbar. Albania grew into the game after half time and Burn did get exposed on a couple of occasions but there was Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa to pick up the pieces.
But just when Albania might have thought they had a chance, England got a second and killed the game as a contest. Rice swung a ball into the box, Kane peeled off his marker, swivelled in the box and buried a low shot in the far corner. It was a lovely way to finish a good opening night.
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