AFTER being cast as a summer scapegoat in Germany, Harry Kane is back to being simply the GOAT.
England’s greatest goalscorer marked his 100th international appearance with an emphatic second-half double – two of the very best strikes he has ever conjured for his country.
As a keen cricket fan, Kane knows the importance of marking a century and at Wembley tonight he raised his bat in style, leaving to a standing ovation from all four corners of Wembley ten minutes from time.
That double took the Bayern Munich striker’s tally to 68. Kane claims he is aiming for three figures and you wouldn’t bet against the 31-year-old on this showing.
Kane has been bristling at taking much of the blame for England’s faltering performances en route to the Euros Final.
But after clearly struggling for full fitness during that campaign this was a welcome return to full sharpness, with two sweet finishes after a much busier all-round display.
It was a second successive impressive performance for England under interim boss Lee Carsley.
They were patient against a stubborn Finnish defence and an excellent keeper – lively, inventive and ultimately clinical.
And while Kane stole the show, Trent Alexander-Arnold was magnificent, playing a major role in both goals, Carsley’s decision to employ him in his Liverpool role as a right-back/midfield playmaker proving a masterstroke.
The Anfield man looks liberated under Carsley’s interim regime and will surely be an automatic England starter from now on.
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Sure, this was still only a home win against a Finnish side ranked 63rd world but England lost to Iceland the last time they played at Wembley so should not be sniffed at.
We will be hearing a lot of the expression ‘you can only beat what’s in front of you’ during Carsley’s six-match autumn audition against the Finns, Ireland and Greece – but England have at least done their job with a touch of flourish this week.
And just two games into the campaign we can safely say that top-tier Nations League football is coming home.
Carsley’s maiden outing in charge – especially the first half – had been a triumph in Dublin, with England free-flowing and thrilling in a 2-0 win.
But it initially looked an inauspicious first Wembley date for the interim boss – piddling rain, thousands of empty seats and low-rent opposition which included former Norwich striker Teemu Pukki and a bloke who plays for Aberdeen with a tattoo of Wayne Rooney fishing on his arm.
Kane was handed a golden cap by fellow 100 Club members Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole as well as a bunch of flowers from Finnish keeper Lukas Hradecky.
After a big-screen shot of Carsley not singing God Save The King – and that’s surely enough of that now – and applause for the late Sven Goran Eriksson, we were off.
And it all seemed to be about trying to tee up Kane for a goal on his landmark night.
First, Anthony ‘Flash’ Gordon centred but Kane headed back across goal when he might have scored, then he skied a deflected effort from a Bukayo Saka cross.
As in Dublin, England were zipping it around nicely. Angel Gomes, on his first England start, was neat and tiny, looking even shorter than his 5ft 6in frame in comically big shorts and short socks.
The little Lille midfielder produced a peach of a pass for Kane, who swivelled and had a shot pushed away by his pre-match Interflora man.
Next, Alexander-Arnold played a sweet reverse pass and Saka’s deflected cross-shot forced a decent improv save from Hradecky.
When Kane first found the net, heading home a curling Saka centre midway through the first half, the linesman correctly spotted a toenail offside.
England hogged the ball, possessive as jealous lovers and forced a succession of corners.
But the Finns, preparing for months without sunlight, were pulling down the blackout blinds, defending in a low block which resembled a sandbagged roadblock.
Alexander-Arnold, England’s most creative player, fizzed one just wide and it felt a little churlish that paper planes were already descending onto the turf when Carsley’s men were playing pretty damned well.
Gomes was chopped down by Glen Kamara on the edge of the box but Alexander-Arnold thudded his free-kick wide.
The second half began with Ezri Konsa surviving an injury scare when he went over on his ankle.
Then we were back to Hradecky versus England.
In the space of five minutes, the Finnish keeper saved from an angled Rice shot, a Kane free-kick, a Gordon effort and a Kane overhead kick.
Then finally the resistance was broken thanks to that piece of world-class quality from Kane.
Alexander-Arnold made the pass, Kane slipped inside Robert Ivanov and thumped his shot in off the underside of the crossbar.
He raced towards the corner flag, leapt in joy and was mobbed by his team-mates.
Soon, left-back Rico Lewis dragged one wide when he ought to have doubled England’s lead and Konsa was replaced by Levi Colwill.
Carsley soon sent on Ebere Eze and handed a debut to Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.
Eze should have scored from one of those first-time laser passes from Alexander-Arnold.
The second arrived 15 minutes from time, another gorgeous first-time pass from Alexander-Arnold locating Madueke, who squared with the outside of his boot for Kane to rifle into the far corner.
Here's a list of all the players to have earned 100 caps for England...
