The victory against Albania on the evening of 16/11 extended England's winning streak in official competitions to 11 matches. The team also joined a select group that kept clean sheets throughout an entire World Cup qualifying campaign. In Europe, only Italy and Belgium had achieved a similar feat in 1974, but neither team had a perfect winning record like England.

Harry Kane celebrates a goal for England during the match against Albania at Kombetare stadium, Tirana, Albania, in the final round of Group K of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers on the evening of 16/11/2025. Photo: Reuters

In Tirana, England entered the final match of Group K qualifiers having already secured their spot in the finals. However, coach Thomas Tuchel, instead of showing complacency, continued to experiment with the squad. He rotated several positions to test tactical flexibility ahead of the World Cup 2026. Albania had also conceded only three goals in their first seven matches.

The first half unfolded as Tuchel anticipated. England dominated possession but faced difficulty against the host's compact defense. Jarrod Bowen's diagonal shot created the clearest opportunity, forcing goalkeeper Strakosha to parry it.

In the second half, Albania unexpectedly increased their tempo, with winger Arber Hoxha testing goalkeeper Dean Henderson twice. During a challenging period, the visitors tightened their formation, with substitutes making a difference.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford entered the game, immediately bringing freshness to the attack. In the 65th minute, from a corner, Saka's shot deflected off defender Naser Aliji, landing perfectly for Harry Kane. The Bayern Munich striker simply tapped in from close range to open the scoring.

Eight minutes later, Rashford delivered a precise cross for Kane to head in, doubling the lead. The England captain reached 78 international goals, surpassing legendary Pele's record for Brazil. The 32-year-old striker also increased his season's tally to 28 goals in 22 matches for club and country.

The Three Lions' victory saw one minor issue: Jude Bellingham appeared frustrated when substituted in the second half. However, Tuchel emphasized the more important objective: maintaining team rhythm and ensuring squad depth.

Tuchel's team will learn their World Cup 2026 group stage opponents when the draw takes place in Washington D.C. on 5/12.

Hoang An (according to Guardian, Flashscore)