Lewis-Skelly’s England debut goal sets up Tuchel’s winning start over Albania

It was not a night when Thomas Tuchel’s England set the pulses racing. The new head coach had talked about the need for cut and thrust, for excitement and positivity; to ignite something on the long road to what he and the rest of the country hope will be World Cup glory next year. Instead, it was supplanted by more prosaic values – shape and professionalism; hard work, especially without the ball.

There was, however, the basic ingredient of a victory on Tuchel’s grand opening night, however flat the occasion might have felt for long spells.

Together with one glorious individual story and a much more familiar old one.

Myles Lewis-Skelly was excellent on his first England cap, showing those swashbuckling runs from left-back that have lit up his breakthrough season at Arsenal and scoring after just 20 minutes. You could barely have scripted it. Except this is Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old who writes them himself.

Then there was Harry Kane. The captain had suggested beforehand that his scoring exploits have started to be taken for granted. Perhaps people were getting bored of him. Surely no-one can tire of him finding the net for England. Kane brought up goal No 70 towards the end of a pretty dull second-half and that was that. Tuchel has made his first step. And it was assured enough.

All eyes were on Tuchel from the moment he emerged into the Wembley spotlight, the scrutiny burning on his selection, too. There had been plenty of headlines. Dan Burn and Lewis-Skelly in for their debuts; Marc Guéhi only a substitute. The use of Curtis Jones alongside Declan Rice in midfield, allowing Jude Bellingham to push high as a No 10. The blockbuster was Marcus Rashford on the left.

“Welcome to the Home of Football, Thomas,” read the giant banner behind one of the goals before kick-off. There was a fireworks display. The house DJ even had a track with “Thomas Tuchel’s army” in the lyrics. For the record, the first paper aeroplane of the Tuchel era was spotted in the 12th minute.

Tuchel wanted energy and there was a snap about his players when they hassled Albania to regain possession. They set the tempo without the ball from the first whistle. England were a little slower on it. The idea was suffocating control. Albania sat deep in their 4-5-1 system, determined to give nothing away and it had the feel of one of those games when the low block would be difficult to dismantle.

Enter Lewis-Skelly. He had taken one confident touch in the opening exchanges, stepping up and away from his man. The kid has no nerves, merely the desire to seize any opportunity and his goal on 20 minutes was the latest chapter of his fairytale. He looked a little disbelieving as he celebrated – and not only because of the ease with which he was able to run in behind Jasir Asani. The Albania winger had to be stronger.

View image in fullscreen Harry Kane celebrates after scoring England’s second goal against Albania at Wembley. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

It was a pass from Bellingham after some imperious strutting from him and Lewis-Skelly finished first-time with his left foot, guiding the ball through the legs of the goalkeeper, Thomas Strakosha. If you could bottle the feeling.

Albania struggled to get out of their half before the interval, although when they did for the first time in the 27th minute, they had the scent of a freakish equaliser. Qazim Laci’s cross was diverted high up by Burn and when the ball dropped, it did so onto the top of Jordan Pickford’s crossbar. England scrambled clear.

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Jones was busy in midfield, Bellingham shimmered with menace and Rashford had a few moments, his best in the first-half being a nice return pass for Bellingham on 34 minutes, which set him through on Strakosha. The goalkeeper made a fine block.

Kane dropped deep to fizz his passes and England might have scored again before half-time. Strakosha saved brilliantly with his foot to keep out a Bellingham header after a Kyle Walker incision while Kane’s rebound effort was blocked just as miraculously by Berat Djimsiti. Burn also trampled into space to meet a Rice corner that he thudded into the crossbar.

It was Burn’s second Wembley appearance in a week after his goalscoring, man-of-the-match performance in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool. The magic evaporated for him in the second-half. He got away with a high boot that felled Myrto Uzuni but he almost did not get away with his lack of pace, the Albania substitute, Armando Broja, almost exposing it. There was also the moment when Broja beat Burn to a flick-on and Tuchel could be grateful for a saving Ezri Konsa challenge on Asani.

Lewis-Skelly continued to step up with the ball, to get England moving, to ask questions while Rashford was desperate to make something happen.

Perhaps too desperate. Bellingham crossed for Kane, who could not get the needed power in the header and Jones might have shot rather than look for another pass after a neat move.

The second half became a slog for England but Kane lifted things when Rice crossed and Arlind Ajeti got himself into a terrible muddle, trying to intercept and failing. Kane brought it down and caressed the shot into the far corner.

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