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England secured their first win in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 victory over Albania at Wembley. It was a special night for the English fans as it marked the debut of Thomas Tuchel as the national team coach. Although the victory was hard-fought, there were standout moments, especially from debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Lewis-Skelly's debut goal
England struggled to find space against a well-organized Albanian defense, but midway through the first half, they broke the deadlock. Jude Bellingham, the star of Real Madrid, spotted the young Myles Lewis-Skelly (18) making a run and delivered a perfect through ball. The young Arsenal defender kept his composure and calmly slotted the ball through the legs of Albania's goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. This goal made Lewis-Skelly the youngest ever scorer on his debut for England, surpassing Marcus Rashford's previous record, though Rashford had failed to score in his debut match.
Kane seals the win for England
After the early breakthrough, England remained dominant, but chances were few and far between. Despite having around 80% possession, the English side struggled to break down Albania’s defense. It wasn’t until the second half that Harry Kane sealed the win with a stunning strike. The Tottenham Hotspur striker fired a shot into the far corner, doubling the lead and securing the final score of 2-0.
Jordan Henderson Returns to the National Team
There was also good news for experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson, who made his return to the national team after a year-long absence. He came on in the 80th minute to replace Declan Rice, getting just under ten minutes of action under Tuchel’s watch to mark his comeback to international football.
Group K of the World Cup Qualifiers
England is placed in Group K of the European World Cup qualifiers alongside Latvia, Serbia, and Andorra. In another match in the group, Latvia defeated Andorra 2-0, meaning England and Latvia are tied at the top of the group. However, England holds a better goal difference, putting them in the lead for now.
It was an important, if hard-earned, victory for England under Tuchel's guidance. As they prepare for their upcoming matches, the team can take pride in debutant Lewis-Skelly’s achievement and Kane’s decisive contribution, while Tuchel takes his first steps as national team coach.
