After a barren 2020, Harry Kane is back on the England goal trail. The captain’s 33rd strike for his country, allied with the latest of his many assists this season, secured victory in Albania as he and Mason Mount ensured Gareth Southgate’s side go into Wednesday’s showdown with Poland with a maximum six points to their name in the World Cup qualifiers.
Kane may have been a frustrated spectator on Thursday, when Southgate rested him against San Marino and denied him the chance to accelerate towards Wayne Rooney’s England scoring record. But if his minutes were being rationed, Kane was saved for a tougher test and he provided the decisive touch after a dull start in Tirana.
He has been potent in the Premier League this season, but had failed to score in his previous six England games, although a drought of 497 days would have been more worrying had Euro 2020 been played last summer. Yet his was the header of a high-class finisher.
Mount’s subsequent strike was one of a man at the top of his game and underlined his growing importance to England. Southgate wants his wingers and attacking midfielders to chip in with more goals and this was Mount’s fourth in just 15 appearances for England.
Kane, too, has brought his club form to the international stage. He may finish the Premier League season as both its top scorer and leading assister so perhaps it was fitting he set up Mount’s goal.
Others also provided positives. Raheem Sterling produced a bright display at a point when some had started to question if he belonged in Southgate’s strongest side. Luke Shaw enjoyed a fine comeback to the international stage, winning his first cap since 2018, creating Kane’s goal and suggesting that he has leapfrogged Ben Chilwell to become the first-choice left-back.
England had control for large swathes but Albania were obdurate opponents. They were well configured by their Italian manager Edy Reja and they defended in numbers. Impeded by a slow pitch and long grass, England made a sterile start. Their first shot on target came after 32 minutes and was an optimistic long-range effort from Kyle Walker, as more than 80 percent of possession produced little.
Then came two fine openings in five minutes and a brilliantly-taken opener. Kane showed the striking instinct to dart in front of his marker and meet Shaw’s cross with a diving header.
The left flank proved England’s most profitable avenue, along with the increasingly influential Sterling. A second terrific cross almost yielded a second goal for Kane.
Sterling was the supplier, with Kane arriving at pace to connect well with a half-volley that clattered into the bar. When Sterling picked out Phil Foden, two of the four Manchester City players in the starting 11 combining, the youngster’s low shot was tipped on to the post by Etrit Berisha.
Thereafter Kane blazed over after a corner while Another attempt to double his tally brought a booking as he slid in on Berat Djimsiti and shot wide. Mount did succeed in doubling the lead. Sterling won the ball back, Kane picked out the runner from midfield and Mount finished with assurance.
Albania’s sequence of four consecutive wins was the joint best in their history but it came to an end. They could rue an early chance that could have enabled them to spring an upset. Southgate’s switch to 4-2-3-1 suggested he will only use three centre-backs against elite opponents. With a mere two, his side were carved open on the counter-attack when Albania fashioned the first chance. Myrto Uzuni wasted it, ballooning his shot over the bar after Elseid Hysaj picked him out.
Nick Pope went on to become the first England goalkeeper to keep six clean sheets in his first six caps. Once again, he was scarcely tested. The chances are that he will have rather more to do to extend that record against Robert Lewandowski at Wembley.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score)
Porto (0) v Liverpool (2), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
THREE
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Salem Rashid, Mohammed Al Attas, Alhassan Saleh
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Yahya Nader, Ahmed Barman, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri