A NEW England era, but the same old Harry Kane. On a night when Lee Carsley’s brave new dawn was in danger of falling flat in the face of some inspired Finnish goalkeeping, England’s captain fantastic delivered on his special night.

Kane’s 100th England appearance was crowned by his 67th and 68th international goals, a typically well-struck finish that broke Finland’s spirited resistance shortly before the hour mark followed by an even slicker first-time strike with 14 minutes left. Written off in some quarters after a disappointing European Championships this summer, Kane spoke of emulating Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored his 901st career goal at the age of 39 at the weekend, in the build-up to tonight’s game. Just as Ronaldo remains Portugal’s talisman despite his advancing years, so Kane continues to be integral to England’s chances of finally winning something.

Carsley needed him this evening, with the skipper’s second-half brace ensuring the interim boss was able to make it two wins from two since stepping in to replace Gareth Southgate. Has the last week enhanced Carsley’s chances of securing the England job on a permanent basis, or will the FA look at the likes of Eddie Howe and Graham Potter and see a better option? Carsley will claim he has blooded some youngsters and tried to introduce a more positive style of play. His critics might argue last night’s somewhat laboured success over limited opposition was far too similar to some of Southgate’s more forgettable matches in charge.

Not that Kane will really care. The skipper’s 100th international appearance, which was celebrated with the presentation of a golden cap before kick-off, makes him the tenth England centurion in the men’s game. Peter Shilton is the current record holder with 125 caps, so given that Kane does not turn 32 until next July, there is every chance he will rewrite the record books before he finally retires. Justified questions were asked about Kane’s performance levels during the Euros, but the extent of his impact on the international side over the course of the last decade is not open to debate. Now on 68 goals and counting, the nation’s all-time record scorer could yet bring up a century on that roll of honour too.

Kane started as part of an unchanged front four from Saturday’s victory over the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, with Carsley’s most notable selection decision coming further back at the base of midfield.

At the opposite end of the international experience scale to Kane, Angel Gomes was making his first senior start at the age of 24. Born in London, raised in Manchester, and having been on the books of French side Lille since 2020, Gomes was part of the England Under-21 squad that were crowned European champions under Carsley in the summer of 2023. Small and slight, standing at just five foot six, the midfielder is a deep-lying playmaker rather than a destroyer, and is the type of game-controlling fulcrum England have lacked in recent tournaments. Much tougher tests await, but having also been a substitute in Dublin, Gomes can be pleased with his international introduction.

Anthony Gordon is another England player who has had a good international break, underlining the folly of Southgate handing him just six minutes of action at the Euros. The Newcastle winger sent Finnish full-back Adam Stahl this way and that throughout last night’s game, driving the ball forward with a pace and purpose that was lacking in so much of England’s play in Germany.

Even with Gordon seeing plenty of the ball, though, and Trent Alexander-Arnold picking up a series of dangerous positions as he drifted forward into midfield, England were frustrated by the massed ranks of the Finnish defence. With their opponents willingly dropping towards the edge of their own area, England’s players struggled to create clear-cut chances in the final third. Kane and Bukayo Saka had early efforts saved by Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, and while the former headed home the latter’s cross at the midway point of the first half, he had strayed marginally offside.

There was little happening to trouble Jordan Pickford at the other end, although having robbed the ball off Declan Rice, the visitors should have threatened the England goal rather than see Topi Keskinen blaze a wasteful effort over the bar before the break. On a night when Finland were always going to have limited opportunities, it was a waste given that Teemu Pukki had pulled into a huge pocket of space on the left of the box.

With England continuing to dominate the ball, Alexander-Arnold flashed a low drive just past the far post and fired a direct free-kick just wide of the top corner shortly before half-time, but the break arrived with the hosts having been unable to fashion a breakthrough despite boasting almost 80 per cent possession.

The frustration continued to mount in the second half, with Hradecky making a fine save low down to his right after Kane fired a free-kick around the Finnish wall from just outside the box.

Hradecky was having ‘one of those nights’, keeping out a near-post strike from Gordon and an overhead kick from Kane, but the Finnish keeper was finally beaten three minutes before the hour mark.

Alexander-Arnold fired a pass into Kane, who still had plenty to do with a gaggle of defenders around him. Switching the ball onto his right foot, the number nine drove into the 18-yard box before hammering a fiercely-hit finish into the roof of the net.

Having watched his side break the deadlock, Carsley handed an England debut to Noni Madueke, and the Chelsea winger set up Kane’s second goal in the 76th minute. Madueke rolled the ball infield, and Kane swept a clinical first-time finish into the bottom corner.