Bukayo Saka’s stunning strike set England on course for a 2-0 win over Serbia to continue their World Cup qualifying campaign.
After booking its place in North America with two matches remaining, coach Thomas Tuchel’s team achieved its seventh victory in Group K without conceding a single goal as next summer’s tournament approaches.
Saka responded to the England coach’s call to score more goals with a stunning strike in the first half that took his international tally to 14 goals and substitute Eberechi Eze completed the comfortable victory on Thursday.
Tuchel’s team did not reach the level it reached in the 5-0 win over Serbia last September in Belgrade, but few committed any mistake because the coach’s system takes precedence over the names of the stars in his quest to build “brotherhood.”
Saka opened the scoring in style on a night when Morgan Rogers took the No. 10 in place of Jude Bellingham, as the restored Real Madrid star was brought on for his first appearance since June as Phil Foden won his first international cap since March in a false nine.
The pair were involved in the build-up to team-mate Eze’s stunning goal late in England’s final home game of 2025.
The result ended Serbia’s hopes of reaching the World Cup qualifiers, with Albania, England’s final rival this year, finishing second before Sunday’s match in Tirana.
The visitors had new coach Veljko Paunovic in charge of Wembley Stadium and an almost empty section after the country’s Football Association decided not to sell tickets due to the behavior of former fans.
The end to the home game was patchy in parts, but England hardliners made their voice heard during a slow start to the first home game since the manager criticized the atmosphere against Wales.
There were no clear opportunities despite the early control of the 2024 European Championship runner-up.
Saka missed the goal when paper planes flew from the stands and Marcus Rashford blocked the first shot on target in the 25th minute. The second goal came three minutes later and he scored into the net.
Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic fired a free kick that reached debutant Nico O’Reilly on the edge of the penalty area. The left-back’s shot was blocked and deflected, with Saka volleying home.
O’Reilly soon saw a low ball deflected onto the post and captain Harry Kane surprisingly nodded the resulting corner kick wide, with Rogers looking across the face of goal just before half-time.
England lacked the killer instinct when play resumed, and Serbia wasted a great opportunity in a rare attack, as Dusan Vlahovic received a cross that went wide of the goal.
Tuchel quickly made a quadruple change, including bringing on Foden as the focal point in place of captain Kane and Bellingham in place of Rogers, breathing new life into the display.
Teammate Eze set up Elliot Anderson to escape a blocked shot and Foden headed wide as England investigated.
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But there were some holes in the defence, as well as in the stands, and substitute Lazar Samardzic shot the ball wide of the goal, unaware that it would be called offside.
Vlahovic moved closer to the edge of the box as time ticked down, and after Adam Wharton came on, Bellingham and Foden were involved in a move that saw Rajkovic hit a shot from Eze and hit the crossbar.
But there is still time for the trio to share the goal. Bellingham won the ball and passed to Foden, whose pass to Eze was met with a brilliant finish.
