- England grind out dull win over Andorra
- Kane pleased to get over the line
- Tuchel’s Lions march on to Serbia clash
It was a game crying out for flair, yet it took a stroke of luck to open the scoring. After 25 minutes, Andorran defender Christian García accidentally nodded Noni Madueke’s cross past his own goalkeeper,handing England the lead.
The home crowd had little to get excited about as the game ambled along at a pedestrian pace. It wasn’t until the 67th minute that the contest was finally killed off. Declan Rice, charging forward with purpose, met a pinpoint ball from Reece James and powered home a header to make it 2-0.From there, the outcome was never in doubt, but England’s play remained flat, with fans left wondering when Tuchel’s side will click into a higher gear.
For Kane, the evening was significant for reasons beyond the scoreline. The striker won his 108th cap, moving level with England legend Bobby Moore. However, it was not a night where Kane could truly stamp his mark. Starved of service, the captain cut a frustrated figure for much of the contest. He did, however, produce one bright moment, a smart cut-back that deserved a finish from debutant Elliot Anderson, only for the midfielder’s shot to be denied.
After the match, Kane reflected positively, posting on X: “Good to be back out there in an England shirt. Job done at Villa Park, positive step forward in our World Cup qualifying campaign 🦁🦁🦁”.
The victory kept England firmly at the top of Group K, but the real test awaits on Tuesday in Belgrade against Serbia.