On a tense evening in Elbasan, Wales laboured for long periods and were a long way from the fluent display that saw them comfortably beat the same opponents 4-0 just days earlier.
Yet Rhiannon Roberts’ first-half goal proved enough to secure a 1-0 win and maintain their push towards the 2027 finals in Brazil.
Wilkinson was candid in her assessment, making it clear the performance fell below expectations but praising her players’ ability to find a result regardless.
"Today was a hard day," she said.
"I think we struggled in moments of the game, but I am really pleased that we found a way to win.
"I think that is the mark of a good team, that on off-days – and today was an off-day – we managed to figure out a way to get three points."
That honesty reflects a broader theme of Wales’ campaign. They are a team still developing consistency but they show resilience when it matters.
Their latest result keeps them second in Group B1, level on points with the Czech Republic, who recorded a 4-1 win over Montenegro earlier in the day.
Wilkinson’s women travel to Montenegro for their next qualifier on Saturday, 5 June, before concluding the group stage against the Czechs in Cardiff four days later.
With qualification likely to hinge on the final group match, the Canadian knows there is little margin for error.
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"It is a hard group," Wilkinson added.
"We have to make sure we show up in every game and I think we learned that today, that there are no gimmes, no givens in this group.
"We have got to make sure we earn the three points."
The match itself was a scrappy affair. Roberts’ decisive goal - one Albania felt should have been ruled out for handball - arrived in the first half, but Wales never fully took control.
The hosts caused problems throughout, twice striking the woodwork and exposing moments of vulnerability in the Welsh defence.
Wilkinson acknowledged the challenge posed by Albania, who adapted effectively after their heavy defeat in Wrexham.
"They executed their game-plan fantastically well and made life very difficult for us," she said.
"They played a sitting five who didn't jump out as much. The midfield were the ones jumping out which gave us different types of spaces that took us a bit too long to figure out.
"In general, I think there were a lot of similarities [to last Tuesday's game], but we just weren't as sharp."
Changes to the starting line-up, including the introduction of Rachel Rowe and Hayley Ladd, did little to spark the same attacking rhythm seen in the previous meeting, and Wales were forced to rely more on determination than fluency.
But the ability to secure three points on an “off-day” could prove crucial as the campaign unfolds.
With a trip to Montenegro next before a potentially decisive clash with the Czechs in Cardiff, Wilkinson’s side remain firmly in contention.
