Kane Delivers Late Double as England Complete Perfect Qualifying Run

England finished their World Cup qualifying campaign with a perfect record — eight wins from eight — after a 2–0 win over Albania at Wembley. It wasn’t their best performance, but two second-half goals from Harry Kane were enough to keep their flawless run intact.

Slow Start but Tactical Tweaks

Thomas Tuchel made seven changes to the team that beat Serbia.
He also experimented tactically, allowing John Stones to step into midfield during possession.

England controlled most of the ball but lacked sharpness in the final third. Jude Bellingham, Jarrod Bowen and Bukayo Saka all went close, but the breakthrough didn’t come until late.

Kane Steps Up Again

Harry Kane, now on 78 international goals, finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute.
He bundled in Saka’s corner before adding a second eight minutes later with a powerful header from Marcus Rashford’s cross.

It wasn’t vintage England, but Kane once again showed why he remains the most reliable finisher in the squad.

Albania Show Fight

Albania arrived unbeaten in eight matches and had the best early chance of the game.
Arber Hoxha raced through on the counter-attack but shot straight at Dean Henderson.

Despite their momentum coming into the match, Albania couldn’t match England’s depth or quality from the bench.

Historic Defensive Record

With this result, England became the first European team ever to win at least six qualifiers without conceding a single goal.
Tuchel’s side kept all eight clean sheets.

Tuchel’s Changes Making the Difference

This match featured Tuchel’s most experimental XI since taking charge in January.
Debutant Jarell Quansah became the seventh new cap under Tuchel.

The manager’s substitutions have been a key factor in this qualifying run.
Against Serbia, Eze and Foden combined off the bench; this time, Saka and Rashford created both goals for Kane.

Tuchel’s ability to adjust games from the sidelines could be crucial at the World Cup — something England have lacked in previous tournaments.