England kept their flawless World Cup qualifying campaign intact with a steady 2-0 win over Serbia at a damp Wembley on Thursday night.
The result secured a seventh win from seven for Thomas Tuchel’s side, who have now gone through the group without conceding a single goal.
With qualification already wrapped up, the atmosphere inside the stadium was subdued, but England still found enough sharpness when it mattered.
Bukayo Saka broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, guiding a composed left-footed volley into the far corner after Serbia failed to deal with a Declan Rice free-kick. The goal injected some much-needed life into a match that had drifted through a sleepy opening phase.
Marcus Rashford was lively on the left, though his end product fluctuated, while debutant Nico O’Reilly showed promise from full-back, striking the post with a deflected cross.
Serbia, playing their first game under new manager Veljko Paunović, rarely troubled England’s back line and Jordan Pickford extended his astonishing clean-sheet streak to 10 internationals.
The game was wrapped up in stoppage time when substitutes Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden combined on the break, slipping in Eberechi Eze. The Crystal Palace midfielder curled a calm finish into the far corner to seal the points.
It wasn’t a performance to stir the crowd, but England once again handled their business with quiet efficiency. The final group match awaits in Tirana on Sunday.