Soccer: I could have been hat-trick hero again - Owen

Michael Owen helped fire England to within touching distance of World Cup qualification and then admitted he could have plundered another hat-trick.

The 21-year-old hot-shot, the three-goal hero of the famous 5-1 victory over Germany on Saturday evening, fired Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side into a 43rd-minute lead over Albania at St James’ Park to set the ball rolling.

But the hoped-for avalanche never materialised as the dogged Albanians threatened to spoil the party, and it took a late strike from substitute Robbie Fowler to wrap up three precious points.

Owen was delighted to have played a major role in the second leg of England’s crucial World Cup week, which sent them top of Group Nine knowing that a victory over Greece at Old Trafford next month will clinch their place in the finals barring a massive win for Germany at home to Finland.

But like all top strikers, he was disappointed not to have added to his personal haul.

‘‘It’s always a nice moment to score,’’ he said. ‘‘I had a couple of chances before which I thought I should have done better with, but probably scored with the hardest chance, so I was pleased.

‘‘We’ve got it all in our own hands now and with Greece at home, if we can get three points, then it’s off to the World Cup.

‘‘One more will do, and then we can all look forward to the World Cup - but we’ve got to get that result first.’’

Owen, who so mesmerised the German defence in Munich, had the bit between his teeth from the off once again, but where everything he touched in Bavaria immediately turned to gold, things just did not go his way early on.

He might have had a penalty with just four minutes gone when Albanian keeper Fotaq Strakosha appeared to trip him, and he later sent a header wide and a shot straight at the keeper.

Owen could have been forgiven for thinking that it was not going to be his night when, with 31 minutes gone, skipper David Beckham got on the end of a delightful move involving Manchester United team-mates Paul Scholes and Gary Neville to drive an inviting cross to the near post, but the in-form Liverpool frontman smashed his first-time effort wide.

But his golden touch returned two minutes before the break when Scholes delivered the ball over the top for Owen to volley it emphatically past Strakosha with the outside of his right foot.

The Albanians dug deep as they tried to force their way back into the game in the second half and their hopes only died three minutes from time when Fowler produced two dazzling turns and a deft finish to send a packed house at St James’ home happy.

‘‘The result was the important thing,’’ said Owen. ‘‘We know we can play better than we played tonight, but it was still a great result, and that was the main thing.

‘‘We never got carried away. We knew we weren’t going to beat them 5-1 or whatever, we knew it was going to be tight.’’

Owen left Tyneside licking his lips in anticipation of a second bite at the cherry on the biggest of stages after his France 98 adventure, and more immediately, the prospect of running amok against a Greek defence which leaked goals in a comprehensive 5-1 defeat in Finland last night.