England vs Albania LIVE: World Cup qualifier result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the post-match reaction as England put themselves on the cusp of qualification for the 2022 World Cup with a 5-0 win
England moved to within one point of qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by dismantling Albania 5-0 at Wembley on Friday night.
Within 10 minutes of kick-off, Gareth Southgate’s side had broken the deadlock as Harry Maguire headed home a Reece James free-kick with ease – his celebration drawing the ire of Roy Keane in the ITV studio. Just shy of 10 minutes later, Harry Kane doubled the Three Lions’ lead by netting his own header, courtesy of a chipped assist from Jordan Henderson, who soon made it 3-0 with a tidy close-range finish. Kane would round out a perfect hat-trick before the half-time whistle sounded, first blasting a powerful strike across goal from a tight angle, then scoring a deflected bicycle kick from a corner on the cusp of the break.
England could not find the net again once the action resumed at Wembley, but Southgate took the opportunity to get Jack Grealish, Tammy Abraham, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham on the pitch from the bench, as well as debuting Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe. The win kept Southgate’s team atop Group I of the European qualifying pools, their 23 points one fewer than what is required to ensure England a place at next winter’s world championship in Qatar.
Follow all the fallout and analysis from Wembley:
England 4 - 0 Albania
40 mins: Sterling and Chilwell try to combine on the left wing with the wingback giving the ball to Sterling before continuing his overlapping run. Sterling holds onto the ball, drifting more centrally before looking to play Chilwell in behind with a threaded pass. Chilwell was fooled by Sterling’s movement and halted his own run and the ball runs out for a goal kick.
England 4 - 0 Albania
37 mins: Albania have been brave in their attempts to press England high up the pitch but they’re lacking the quality to properly cause them problems. England’s passing in midfield has been slick and swift, beating the press with ease and rewarding Sterling, Foden and Kane with space in the box.
Sterling chips a pass into the right side of the penalty area and Kane brings the ball down looking for his hat-trick. There are other options in the box but he sets himself and pulls the effort towards the far bottom corner but the shot goes inches wide of the back post.
GOAL! England 4 - 0 Albania (Kane, 33’)⚽️
33 mins: Another one! England win the ball in the middle of the pitch and a pass sends the ball out to Sterling on the left side of the pitch. He comes into the middle and flies into the final third as Kane makes a diagonal run towards the left side of the box. Veseli is playing the England captain onside as Sterling slots the ball to him. He shimmies to the left and smokes his shot past Strakosha to find the inside of the far side-netting.
England 3 - 0 Albania
31 mins: England are in the mood tonight. Harry Kane gets two great chances in quick succession. The first comes from a pass into the six-yard box from the left wing and his shot gets blocked by Veseli.
Then he’s fed the ball on the left side of the pitch. He cuts inside, shifts away from a defender and then blasts one at goal only for Thomas Strakosha to push the ball wide of the back post.
GOAL! England 3 - 0 Albania (Henderson, 28’)⚽️
28 mins: It’s three! John Stones fires a long cross field up to James on the right hand side and a poor headed clearance from Hysaj knocks the ball to the England wingback. He passes it inside to Henderson who plays a one-two with Kane to take the ball into the box before shifting it onto his left-foot and guiding it coolly into the bottom right-hand corner!
England 2 - 0 Albania
27 mins: England aren’t going to settle for just two goals. They’ll want as many as possible. Reece James brings the ball down the right wing and cuts it back to Henderson. He swings a cross into the box towards forward but a last minute glancing header takes the ball away from the youngster and sends it out of the box.
England 2 - 0 Albania
24 mins: England are proving too good on the ball. Albania are giving the high press a decent go but the skill on the ball of John Stones, Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire has allowed the home side to pay out from the back.
Ardian Ismajli is the third Albanian to go in the book as the ball come up to Sterling and he clatters into the forward pushing him to ground. He tries to protest his innocence but it’s a clear foul.
England 2 - 0 Albania
21 mins: Sokol Cikalleshi is shown a yellow card for dissent to the referee after Albania give away another free kick to England. It’s been a perfect start for England.
Not so for Albania who have to make another change as Marash Kumbulla is replaced with Kastriot Dermaku.
GOAL! England 2 - 0 Albania (Kane, 18’)⚽️
18 mins: Harry Kane’s got his goal! It’s fabulous work in midfield from first Reece James and then Jordan Henderson. James tussles with Trashi and gets away from the Albanian before laying the ball to Henderson who sends it to Foden on the right wing. Henderson then points to the box and chases after the ball and Foden plays it into the area. He shrugs off a defender, recovers possession and then lifts a perfect pass into the six-yrd area where Harry Kane is all alone to head home from close range.
England 1 - 0 Albania
15 mins: Save! Jordan Pickford comes to the rescue for England! Walker is put under pressure over on the right wing and decides to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper but he underhits his pass by a mile. Albanian striker Uzuni collects the ball and brings it just inside the penalty box with just Pickford to beat. He opens up his body and tries to find the bottom, right-hand corner but Pickford leans across to his left and palms the shot confidently away.
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