Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze were on target in Thursday’s Wembley win.
Bukayo Saka got England’s opener at Wembley (John Walton/PA)open image in gallery
Bukayo Saka got England’s opener at Wembley (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)
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Bukayo Saka’s sublime cushioned volley set England on course for a 2-0 victory against Serbia as their unblemished World Cup qualification campaign continued.
Having sealed their place in North America with two matches to spare, Thomas Tuchel’s side secured a seventh Group K win without conceding a goal as next summer’s tournament edges closer.
Saka answered the England manager’s plea to score more goals with a fine first-half volley that took his international tally to 14 and substitute Eberechi Eze brilliantly completed Thursday’s comfortable triumph.
Tuchel’s side did not reach the heights of September’s 5-0 battering of Serbia in Belgrade but few put a foot wrong as the coach’s system takes precedence over star names as he seeks to build a “brotherhood”.
Saka stylishly opened the scoring on a night when Morgan Rogers got the nod at number 10 instead of Jude Bellingham, with the recalled Real Madrid star brought on for his first appearance since June as Phil Foden won his first cap since March in a false nine role.
The pair were involved in the build-up to fellow introduction Eze’s fine goal late in England’s final home game of 2025.
The result ends Serbia’s hopes of reaching the World Cup play-offs, with England’s final opponents of the year Albania wrapping up second spot ahead of Sunday’s meeting in Tirana.
The visitors had new boss Veljko Paunovic in charge at Wembley and a near empty away section after the nation’s football federation decided against selling tickets due to previous fan behaviour.
The home end was patchy in parts but England’s hardcore made themselves heard during a slow start to the first home game since the manager criticised the atmosphere against Wales.
There was a lack of clear-cut chances despite the Euro 2024 runners-up’s early control.
Saka missed the target as paper planes floated down from the stands and Marcus Rashford got away the first shot on target in the 25th minute. The second came three minutes later and found the net.
Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic punched a free-kick as far as debutant Nico O’Reilly on the edge of the box. The left-back’s drive was blocked and looped up, with Saka superbly guiding home a volley.
O’Reilly soon saw a low ball deflected onto the post and captain Harry Kane surprisingly nodded the resulting corner wide, with Rogers glancing across the face of goal just before the break.
England lacked a killer instinct when play resumed and Serbia missed a big chance on a rare foray forward as Dusan Vlahovic met a cross with a flick that went well wide.
Tuchel soon made a quadruple change, including bringing on Foden as focal point in place of captain Kane and Bellingham for Rogers, that injected new life into the display.
Fellow introduction Eze slipped Elliot Anderson in to get away a blocked shot and Foden headed wide as England probed.
But there were some gaps at the back, as well as in the stands, and substitute Lazar Samardzic struck just wide unaware offside would be called.
Vlahovic went close from the edge of the box as the clock wound down and, after Adam Wharton came on, Bellingham and Foden were involved in a move that saw an Eze effort hit Rajkovic and go up onto the crossbar.
But there was still time for the trio to be involved in a goal. Bellingham won the ball and played forward to Foden, whose pass to Eze was met with a wonderful finish.