England beats Albania 3-1 to get second straight win

TIRANA -- Michael Owen, Paul Scholes and Andy Cole gave England a hard-fought and somewhat flattering 3-1 away victory over Albania in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

Owen, who scored in England's 2-1 home win over Finland on Saturday, latched on to a penetrating Paul Scholes pass in the 74th minute before tucking the ball under Albania keeper Foto Strakosha.

It was just about England's first clear chance in a game where they failed to impose themselves on a hard-working Albanian side, who were unlucky to lose 2-1 in Germany on Saturday.

Scholes banged in the second five minutes from time and after Altin Rraklli had pulled on back for the hosts, Andy Cole touched in his first goal in 13 internationals five minutes into injury time.

The win took England to seven points from four games in group nine, five behind leaders Germany who won 4-2 in Greece.

Albania remained on three points from four games, a point above Greece but one behind third-placed Finland.

England boss Sven Goran Eriksson brought in 20-year-old Arsenal left back Ashley Cole for his debut and, as expected, replaced the injured Steven Gerrard with Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt in a team otherwise unchanged from Saturday.

But the team looked disjointed from the start and pedestrian in their build-up.

David Beckham and Manchester United club mate Gary Neville kept up a regular supply of crosses from the right but the home defence dealt with them reasonably comfortably.

Eriksson sent on Emile Heskey for Steve McManaman at the start of the second half -- repeating his tactic of Saturday but 20 minutes earlier -- and the Liverpool striker was immediately close to a Scholes cross that was touched away from him by Strakosha.

But it was a rare foray forward and the game reached the hour mark with England still struggling to seize control.

Goalkeeper David Seaman had to keep his concentration to deal with a nasty bouncing shot by Famir Vata as the hosts enjoyed their own share of possession.

Denied a point by a controversial last-minute winner against Germany, the Albanians continued to match the highly-paid visitors.

Cole failed to get his head to a tempting Gary Neville cross as the visiting nerves began to tighten.

But they finally made the breakthrough in the 74th minute when Scholes threaded a pass into the path of Owen, who took one steadying touch before poking the ball under the advancing Strakosha.

The goal visibly lifted England and took the steam out of the home side.

England pushed forward again and Andy Cole reached the byline on the left before cutting the ball back to Scholes who rifled it into the net off the bar from point-blank range.

But England were then caught napping and substitute Altin Rraklli, who had only been on the pitch four minutes, tucked the ball past Seaman to send the home fans wild.

Rraklli had the ball in the net again seconds later but the referee had already blown for offside.

With five minutes of injury time played there was still room for Cole to finally break his duck when he turned in Heskey's cross.

Cole was mobbed by his delighted team mates but his namesake Ashley had to leave the pitch after appearing to be struck by a missile as the crowd rained stones and broken chairs onto the pitch.

The trouble, which also saw England's fans pelted with chairs, could not spoil Eriksson's pleasure at the result.

"We knew it would be a difficult game after Albania did very well against Germany," said the Swede, England's first foreign coach.

"In the first half we played well but couldn't score. We were better in the second and scored three.

"I didn't understand how they got their goal but otherwise we gave away almost nothing. It was a very compact performance."