Tuchel coaches England to victory over Albania in his first game
Tuchel coaches England to victory over Albania in his first game
Thomas Tuchel's England reign is off to a winning start after Albania was beaten 2-0 at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane sealed the World Cup qualifier in a new era for England.
German coach Tuchel, who did not sing along to the English national anthem before the game, has been charged with ending the country's decades-long wait for a major trophy. But his first job is to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
His No. 4-ranked team produced a straight-forward win against 65th-ranked Albania, dominating possession and chances.
It took 20 minutes for the first goal under Tuchel and it was delivered by debutant Lewis-Skelly, who became the youngest player to score in his first England appearance at 18 years, 176 days.
Kane added a record-extending 70th England goal in the 77th.
Tuchel is the third foreign coach to take charge of England after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson, a Swede, and Fabio Capello, an Italian.
His appointment last October was greeted with outrage in some sections of the English media. He said last week he would not sing the national anthem, explaining he had to “earn” the right to join in with “God Save the King.” He stayed silent while the anthem was played before the game.
“I feel that it is not just a given. You cannot just sing it. That’s why I decided that I will not sing it in my first matches,” he said.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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