England Claim Victory in Thomas Tuchel’s First Match in Charge

Added at:
another languages: uk ru

Harry Kane scored again

England began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a convincing win over Albania. The match marked the debut of head coach Thomas Tuchel at the helm of the Three Lions—and it was a successful start.

Under former manager Gareth Southgate, England reached two European Championship finals, ultimately losing on both occasions. Moreover, fans grew frustrated with the team’s cautious, sometimes lackluster style of play. Many now hope that Tuchel will bring a more dynamic approach.

Based on this opener, there were no drastic changes right away. England predictably controlled possession against a compact Albanian defense, resulting in limited scoring chances early on. Harry Kane nearly broke through in the 17th minute, only for the Albanian back line to intervene at the last second. Moments later, a sublime pass from Jude Bellingham split the defense, and Lewis-Skelly capitalized to make it 1–0.

Shortly before halftime, England almost doubled their lead. On 40 minutes, Thomas Strakosha parried a drive from Bellingham, and Berat Djimsiti covered well to deny Kane the rebound. A minute later, Dan Burn went close with a header from a corner, only for Strakosha to tip the ball away from the near top corner.

The second half unfolded in a similar manner. Albania managed a few forays into England’s territory but couldn’t register a single shot on target. Meanwhile, the hosts sealed the win with a second goal in the 77th minute. Declan Rice delivered a cross into the box, and Kane took advantage of a defensive slip, calmly slotting the ball into the far bottom corner.

The 2–0 victory sees England off to a promising start in qualifying. Next, they host Latvia on March 24, where head coach Thomas Tuchel will look to continue building his new-look Three Lions.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Qualifiers

England - Albania 2:0 (1:0)
Goals: Lewis-Skelly, 20 (1:0); Kane, 77 (2:0)

England: Pickford; Burn; Konsa; Walker; Lewis-Skelly (James R., 90); Jones Cur. (Rogers M., 74); Rice (Henderson, 84); Foden (Bowen, 74); Bellingham; Kane; Rashford (Gordon A., 74)
Bench: Trafford; Henderson D.; Guehi; Colwill; Livramento; Eze; Solanke

Albania: Strakosha (Kastrati E., 82); Ajeti Ar.; Aliji; Balliu; Djimsiti; Asllani K.; Bajrami N. (Broja A., 64); Laci (Pajaziti Adrion, 78); Ramadani; Asani (Hoxha Ar., 78); Uzuni
Bench: Sherri; Ismajli; Kumbulla; Mihaj E.; Shehu; Berisha M.; Manaj; Muci E.
Yellow Cards: Djimsiti 32

another languages: uk ru

NewsRSS - News - Terrikon

24 October

11:02
Lionel Messi Extends Inter Miami Contract Until 2028
09:08
Europa Conference League: Ukrainian Clubs Falter as Edin Džeko Makes History
08:10
Europa League: All Results from Matchday 3

23 October

10:33
Five Perfect Starters: Champions League Leaders Emerge After Matchday 3
10:14
Champions League Sets New Scoring Record
00:58
Liverpool Destroy Eintracht Frankfurt to Return to Winning Ways
00:39
Chelsea Thrash Ajax 5–1 as Teen Trio Make Champions League History
00:34
Real Madrid Edge Juventus as Courtois Steals the Spotlight
00:24
Bayern Munich Crush Club Brugge to Make It 12 Wins in a Row

22 October

23:01
Guruzeta Brace Fires Athletic Club Past Qarabag in Champions League Clash
14:09
Favbet Foundation and Andrii Matiukha support Croatian charitable efforts to aid Ukraine
10:31
Champions League Thriller: Second Highest Scoring Night in History
00:23
Newcastle Soar Past Benfica with Dominant 3-0 Victory
00:19
PSV Crush Napoli 6-2 in Dutch Masterclass
00:16
PSG Hit Seven Past Bayer Leverkusen
00:00
Arsenal Dismantle Atletico in Ruthless London Masterclass

21 October

22:00
Fermin and Rashford Lead Barcelona to 6-1 Rout Over Olympiacos
16:12
UAVs, AI, and Anti-Drone Defense: Top Military Tech Projects by Favbet Tech Supporting Ukraine’s Defense
15:38
Official: Bayern Munich Extend Contract with Head Coach Vincent Kompany
12:34
Official: Sean Dyche Appointed New Nottingham Forest Head Coach
10:03
Mjällby AIF Crowned Swedish Champions in Fairytale Title Triumph
00:35
Premier League: Brentford Cruise Past West Ham

20 October

16:45
Danny Röhl arrives in Glasgow to take charge of Rangers
15:56
PSG boosted by Dembélé and Marquinhos returns ahead of Bayer clash
14:30
Raphinha and Ferran Torres set to miss Olympiacos clash