Kane ends England drought to show his importance to country

Whatever the debate over England’s attacking options and the exciting choices available to Gareth Southgate, there is one non-negotiable: Harry Kane starts.

The England captain again proved his indispensability in scoring his 33rd goal for his country – in 52 appearances – and assisting for the impressive Mason Mount, who is starting to rank just below him as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Of course England should have won this World Cup qualifier in Tirana come what may, but there was an assuredness about their performance once Kane scored to help place them in control of their group before they face Poland on Wednesday.

At Wembley it will be Kane v Robert Lewandowski. The two most accomplished centre-forwards in world football and Kane, so desperate to get on against San Marino last Thursday after six England games without a goal, will relish that match-up, just as he showed fierce determination to make the breakthrough against Albania at the moment when England appeared to be losing a little belief.

Kane’s goal changed everything, and that is what great strikers do. This was not a defining performance, but a professional one with the bonus of returning players, notably John Stones and Luke Shaw, fitting seamlessly straight back in. Southgate has even more options and can play a back four with more assurance if he wants to.

So Albania set the challenge: with the pitch and with their approach. Five across the back, three in front and a refusal of England’s request to have the lawnmowers trim the pitch before kick-off. Instead the grass was long, and for most of the first half England got lost in it.

Until Kane intervened. At last England quickened the pace – first with their desire to win the ball back closer to the Albanian goal and then to use it with purpose. Mount regained possession and quickly exchanged passes with Raheem Sterling before laying the ball off to Shaw, who delivered the kind of inviting cross that Kane feeds off. And the striker did just that as he stole in front of Freddie Veseli to steer a header beyond goalkeeper Etrit Berisha. Almost 500 days after his last England goal, Kane had struck.

He almost scored again before half-time as he showed desire and alertness to force his way past Hysen Memolla and meet Sterling’s superb inswinging cross, only for his half-volley to crash off the bar.

England were now in command. Before the goal, Southgate’s halftime team talk would have been to demand more urgency and greater penetration, having already realised his 4-2-3-1 formation was not working by tweaking it after 25 minutes. He will argue reshaping his midfield had given the impetus.

Kane had looked isolated; Mount and Phil Foden, starting together for only the second time, were often occupying the same space and Sterling was peripheral. They were overcomplicating things, while questions were being asked whether a double midfield “pivot” of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips was needed against a nation ranked 66th in world football.

But Southgate is not just trying to qualify for Qatar 2022, he is preparing for a European Championship this summer.

There were negatives. Southgate was not happy with England’s approach in the final quarter, when they almost conceded after needlessly conceding a throw-in, and they looked ragged when Albania went close to scoring first. Mount’s pass as he sprinted back to regain possession was misplaced and it set Qazim Laci away. He found Myrto Uzuni, whose first touch was good, but he then blasted the ball over with only Nick Pope to beat.

This was Pope’s chance and, while he was more involved than against San Marino and went on to become the first keeper not to concede a goal in his first six England caps, his distribution was not great.

Once ahead, England picked up the pace. Sterling’s influence grew, as he ran beyond Kane, held off Ardian Ismajli and picked out Foden, whose first-time shot was tipped on to a post by Berisha. From a corner, Rice flicked the ball on and it arrived too quickly for Kane, who sent it high over the bar.

But the second goal, with the high press and greater tenacity, felt imminent and Mount delivered it. Sterling cut out Berat Djimsiti’s loose ball and Kane sent a perceptive pass to Mount, who took his time, opened his body up and lifted a shot past Berisha. It was an assured finish; another endorsement of Mount’s importance. Kane wanted more. Sterling miskicked and then forced the ball across goal, with Kane lungeing in between two defenders, who were left in a heap, only to poke the ball wide with the attacker left perplexed when he was cautioned. But it showed the kind of commitment England need – and it is clear he wants to beat Wayne Rooney’s all-time record of 53 goals – the kind of example for others to follow. It is all set for the match-up with Poland and Lewandowski.

Albania (3-4-3): Berisha 6; Ismajli 5, Djimsiti 4, Veseli 5; Hysaj 6, Bare 5, Laci 5 (Ramadani 89), Memolla 5 (Lenjani 59); Broja 5 (Gjasula 59), Cikalleshi 4 (Manaj 59), Uzuni 5. Subs Memushaj, Selmani (g), Ajeti, Hoxhallari, Doka, Kallaku, Kamberi, Strakosha (g). Booked Bare, Hysaj, Gjasula.

Deft finish: Mason Mount lifts the ball over Etrit Berisha to give England a 2-0 lead; (far left) Harry Kane, who assisted Mount, celebrates opening the scoring, his first international goal for almost 500 days