England Player Ratings vs Albania: Kane’s Brace Seals Perfect Campaign | OneFootball

Harry Kane scored twice in the second half as England concluded their flawless World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Albania, making it eight wins from eight matches.

The Three Lions had already qualified as group winners. Nevertheless, they set a new record in this match. They became the first European side to play at least six qualifiers and win them all without conceding a single goal.

For this game, Thomas Tuchel used the opportunity to experiment. Specifically, he made seven changes to the side that beat Serbia. One first-half tactical tweak saw John Stones step into midfield. However, the move was ineffective, so Tuchel abandoned it at the break.

Overall, the team gave a disjointed performance. But in the end, Kane’s clinical finishing was the difference. He scored in the 74th and 82nd minutes. Notably, fellow substitutes Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford provided the assists for both goals.

Here is how the players rated in Tirana:

England Player Ratings vs Albania

Goalkeeper & Defence

Dean Henderson – 6/10 A quiet first half, but he was alert when needed, making a good stop from Hoxha’s curling effort. His astute reading of the game was on display with a well-timed sliding tackle outside his box.

Jarell Quansah – 7/10 A solid and promising debut. He was tested by Albania’s main threat, Hoxha, and handled the challenge well, showing his versatility by moving wider in the second half.

John Stones – 6/10 Tasked with the ‘Man City’ role of stepping into midfield when in possession. The experiment looked awkward, lacked urgency, and was unsurprisingly abandoned at half-time.

Dan Burn – 6/10 An imposing figure at set pieces, as always. However, he was less comfortable in open play, and one very loose pass in the second half nearly gifted Albania an opener.

Nico O’Reilly – 7/10 Another hugely impressive and assured display from the 20-year-old. He looks completely at home at this level, and his gorgeous backheel for Saka showed his attacking quality. The left-back spot already looks like his to lose.

Midfield & Attack

Adam Wharton – 6/10 Handed his first start; he was a bit careless in possession at times, but grew into the game. His inswinging corners were a real threat, and he looks a useful option for setting the tempo against deep-sitting teams.

Declan Rice – 6/10 His deliveries from set-pieces caused problems, and he had the freedom to roam from the left. He was often caught offside in good positions before being given a well-earned rest after an hour.

Jude Bellingham – 7/10 Operated in an advanced role on the right and didn’t shirk his defensive duties. He showed flashes of his quality but was booked and later replaced by his rival for the No. 10 spot, Rogers.

Jarrod Bowen – 6/10 Had England’s best chance of the first half, forcing a good save from Strakosha. He was tasked with providing all the width on the right, but his final ball was too inconsistent.

Harry Kane – 8/10 (Man of the Match) The difference-maker, as usual. He was quiet for 70 minutes and then clinically won the game, taking his tally to 78 international goals. His intelligence and clinical finishing were instrumental in breaking the deadlock.

Eberechi Eze – 5/10 Struggled to make any real impact from the left flank. He was denied by Strakosha when set up by Bellingham and looked off the pace before being substituted.

Substitutes

Phil Foden (for Rice, 63′) – 6/10 Looked bright in his more familiar central role and combined well with Kane.

Bukayo Saka (for Eze, 63′) – 6/10 Spurned a few chances but provided the crucial corner for the opening goal.

Marcus Rashford (for Bowen, 75′) – 7/10 Made an immediate impact. His superb, pinpoint cross for Kane’s second was the match’s best moment of quality.

Elliot Anderson (for Wharton, 75′) – 6/10 Slotted in seamlessly, looking established already.

Morgan Rogers (for Bellingham, 84′) – 6/10 Not enough time to make a real impression.

Read- ‘Behaviour is key’: Tuchel issues firm message to ‘Unhappy’ Real Madrid star

See more- Kane double seals perfect qualifying campaign for England

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