England continued their unblemished path through World Cup qualifying by collecting a seventh consecutive triumph, overcoming Serbia in steady fashion at a wet Wembley. With their tournament spot secured last month and two fixtures remaining, Thomas Tuchel used the evening to adjust details rather than chase jeopardy.
The national coach handed Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly his first senior involvement on the left side of defence. The opening strike, however, came from a familiar figure, as Bukayo Saka guided a precise left-foot finish past Predrag Rajkovic midway through the first half.
Morgan Rogers, chosen in the central creative role ahead of Jude Bellingham, showed drive and neat control before making way for his childhood teammate after 65 minutes.
Pace from the bench and a final flourish
Phil Foden entered alongside Bellingham and the pair combined late on to craft an excellent opportunity for fellow substitute Eberechi Eze, who bent a superb effort into the far corner in the closing moments, sealing the evening’s outcome.
Serbia threatened sporadically after the interval, yet Jordan Pickford maintained his sequence of shutouts, extending it to a remarkable 10 matches. Tuchel’s squad have now amassed 20 unanswered goals across their qualifying journey.
With progress guaranteed, the meeting naturally lacked tension, but the overall display nevertheless strengthened Tuchel’s confidence ahead of the tournament. The sight of Bellingham, Foden and Eze influencing the contest from the bench underlined the depth available as final preparations take shape.
Rogers, Marcus Rashford and Elliot Anderson also played their parts during the night. Crystal Palace talent Adam Wharton appeared late on, gaining his first international minutes since June 2024.
Standout contributions and rising momentum
The campaign has unfolded with the consistency Tuchel hoped for, building rhythm before the concluding trip to Albania on Sunday. Saka once more demonstrated his quality with the opener, while Arsenal colleague Eze supplied the elegant strike that settled the score line.
Debutant O’Reilly impressed with a composed showing, while captain Harry Kane, though without a goal, visibly demonstrated his commitment — even tracking back to prevent one of Serbia’s few openings.
Pickford, meanwhile, preserved his extraordinary defensive record, keeping England’s slate completely untouched throughout qualifying.
Tuchel can travel to Tirana encouraged by another assured performance.
