"KANE'S CLASS LIFTS ENGLAND" BBC

Albania Team

England Team

    Match Report by Mike Payne

Regular England watchers will recognise this game from many others played over the years.  Matches that we are expected to win, but not the performance we would have liked to see.  To be fair, the pitch was a poor one, and England took a while to find their feet, literally, and the range for their passing game.  The first ten minutes saw little action in either box, although Nick Pope touched the ball more often in that opening spell, than he did in the whole of the San Marino game.

In fact, on 13 minutes the home side could and should have taken the lead.  A poorly aimed pass backwards from well inside the Albanian half by Mason Mount, sent Elseid Hysaj scampering down the left with the England defenders completely caught out.  Hysaj teed it up for Myrto Uzuni, who was in on goal with just Pope to beat.  With great relief, especially to Mount, Uzuni shot over the bar from the edge of the box.  That really was a huge chance for the Albanians, and they were not to get another.

Albania were far more lively than San Marino, however, and they did try to attack and close down at every opportunity.  Gradually though, England’s passing improved and the possession was mostly with the visitors.  Not a great deal happened over the next period until a dangerous cross from Mount, who apart from his earlier mistake, played well, was intercepted cleverly by Ardian Ismajli.  Albania were organised and lively, and England’s play tended to go backwards and sideways more often than one would have liked.  Nothing much was going into the danger zone.  On 32 minutes a decent shot by Kyle Walker was easily saved by Etrit Berisha in the home goal.  That was a rare effort on goal, as the Albanians battled for everything, but then, just as frustrations were creeping in to England’s play, a touch of class changed the outlook.

Thirty-eight minutes had gone when Mount and Raheem Sterling combined down the left.  It looked for a moment if Sterling lost possession, but he regained it, passed to Mount who teed up Luke Shaw for a cross into the middle.  Brilliant movement by Harry Kane saw him nip in front of his marker to glance a supreme header into the net with the goalkeeper helpless.  It was finishing of pure class by the England captain and a relief for him, scoring his first goal for his country for quite a while.

Four minutes later and Kane was unlucky not to double his and England’s tally.  Sterling’s centre found Kane roaring in at the far post but his powerful half-volley thudded against the crossbar and away to safety. en then, there was still time for Kane to hit over another dangerous cross, but this time Berisha cut out the centre.  So, in those last few minutes of the half, the previously turgid performance was suddenly livened up by England’s Tottenham man.

England had another fine chance five minutes after the restart as Mount again fed Sterling who then laid the ball back for Phil Foden to stroke a shot that seemed a certain goal.  Berisha had other ideas though as he dived to his right, and a strong hand manage to tip the ball onto the post and away.  It was a good save and kept Albania in the game.

With Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Mount ever-more dominating in midfield, the home side had little chance to test the sound England defence.  This half saw England move forward more often and quicker, but still few chances were created. On 56 minutes Kane blazed over from close range after Rice missed with an attempted header and then a minute later Sterling looked through on goal but was beaten to it by the alert goalkeeper.  Albania made some substitutions, but then on 62 minutes England found another touch of class to go further ahead.

A poor clearance was intercepted by Sterling, who passed to Kane.  Kane fed the ball through to Mount coming in from the left, and the Chelsea youngster showed a remarkable calmness as he coolly lifted the ball over the diving Berisha.  The game was effectively over at this point and England were in control.  It was a little infuriating that the remainder of the game saw England waste good attacking positions at times, preferring instead to turn round and go backwards.

Phillips went off after his good shift, to be replaced by James Ward-Prowse and he was quickly into the action, first with an attempted pull-back and then with a miscued pass that went high, wide and not so handsome.  Walker gained a silly booking as did Kane, although the skipper’s was a very poor decision by the otherwise excellent referee.  The rest of the half was scrappy to say the least, and the general feeling as you watched the play was that the job was done, and let’s all go home!

In the end it was a comfortable win for England, and it puts them in a great position as they entertain Poland at Wembley in their next match.  I just hope that Jan Tomaszewski is not in goal for them, mind you, he is 73 years old now, so he might not be quite as good as he was in 1974.  So, well played England and thank you for those two memorable goals in Tirana. 

Oh, and one last thing I must mention.  Due to the lack of supporters in the stadiums, there is great embarrassment when players are tackled and scream at the top of their voices as they go down, mainly to attract the ref’s attention.  It does come across loudly on TV.  Albania did it a few times in this match as did Mason Mount for England.  If the players break a leg, then fair enough, but when they are up and about again within seconds, it looks and sounds so pathetic.  It’s a man’s game after all.  Just saying and gripe over.
    

Source Notes