Thomas Tuchel's England reign got off to a winning start as the Three Lions dispatched Albania 2-0 at Wembley in their World Cup qualifying opener.
The German manager, who opted not to sing the national anthem, saw his side secure a comfortable victory through goals from debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Harry Kane.
It was a solid if unspectacular display to begin England's qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
Lewis-Skelly made history in the 20th minute, becoming England's youngest-ever debutant to score for the national team.
England managed a 2-0 win against Albania in Thomas Tuchel's first game in charge
Reuters
The 18-year-old Arsenal starlet finished clinically between Thomas Strakosha's legs after being played through by a sublime Jude Bellingham pass.
It was a dream start for the youngster, who was a surprise inclusion in Tuchel's first starting lineup.
England continued to dominate the first half, with Bellingham nearly doubling the lead in the 39th minute, his diving header well-saved by Strakosha.
Kane's follow-up effort was heroically blocked by Albania captain Berat Djimsiti.
Newcastle defender Dan Burn, making his international debut at 32, came agonisingly close with a towering header from a corner that struck the crossbar.
The visitors were somewhat fortunate to reach half-time only trailing by a single goal.
Kane finally doubled England's advantage in the 78th minute, notching his 70th international goal with a composed finish.
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The England captain expertly controlled Declan Rice's chipped ball into the area before bending his shot into the far corner.
It was a moment of brilliance from Kane, who had earlier dropped into a number 10 role as he often does for club and country.
Tuchel made several bold selections for his first match, including handing debuts to Lewis-Skelly and Burn while recalling Marcus Rashford to the fold.
The tactical approach saw Rashford and Phil Foden pushed wide to stretch Albania's defence, creating space for Bellingham to operate centrally.
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Harry Kane doubled England's lead to make sure of the three points
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Curtis Jones, listed as a defensive midfielder, often pushed forward as part of England's pressing system.
Albania grew into the match after the break, creating several decent counter-attacking opportunities that caused moments of concern for Tuchel's side.
Armando Broja posed a particular threat after coming off the bench in the 63rd minute.
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa made a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny Broja a one-on-one opportunity with Jordan Pickford, sparing England potential blushes.
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Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn made successful debuts for England
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These defensive lapses will give Tuchel something to ponder despite the clean sheet.
England will now look ahead to Monday's clash with Latvia, aiming to build on this promising start to their World Cup qualification campaign.
While there remains room for improvement, Tuchel will be satisfied with collecting three points in his managerial bow.
The German's tenure begins with the same scoreline as Gareth Southgate's first match - a 2-0 victory over Malta in 2016.
