England demolished Serbia with a 5-0 win in Belgrade on Tuesday as Thomas Tuchel’s facet lastly delivered an attention grabbing efficiency to maneuver inside touching distance of World Cup qualification.
Harry Kane’s 74th purpose in 109 England appearances gave the guests a deserved lead within the first half on the Rajko Mitic Stadium.
In distinction to Kane’s standing as his nation’s document goalscorer, Noni Madueke netted for the primary time in a senior worldwide when he elevated England’s benefit moments after his captain’s opener.
Ezri Konsa additionally scored his maiden England purpose within the second half earlier than Serbia captain Nikola Milenkovic was despatched off.
Marc Guehi bagged the fourth and Marcus Rashford’s penalty accomplished the rout as a fifth successive qualifying victory cemented England’s place on prime of Group Okay.
They’re seven factors forward of second-placed Albania and maintain an eight-point lead over third-placed Serbia, who’ve a sport in hand.
England want 5 factors from their last three matches to safe a spot on the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico subsequent 12 months.
“We had a wonderful week from begin to end. We have simply proved what I’ve seen day-after-day on this camp and this makes me very completely satisfied,” Tuchel mentioned.
“We performed with quite a lot of depth, quite a lot of teamwork and we confirmed our high quality. It is good to look at.”
Though England had made an 100% begin to the qualifying marketing campaign below Tuchel, their earlier performances had been devoid of inspiration and missing a transparent id.
Dour wins over Andorra, Latvia and Albania, alongside a dismal pleasant loss to Senegal, had raised questions on Tuchel’s skill to win England’s first main trophy because the 1966 World Cup.
However Tuchel had described the assembly with Serbia as “proof of idea” and his blueprint appeared way more convincing after probably the most cohesive efficiency of his six-match reign.
“We have solely had three weeks of coaching and that is usually half a pre-season. It takes time and in between there are weeks of pause,” Tuchel mentioned.
“The gamers did glorious. The credit score goes to them. That is the bar.”
The assertion victory got here after Tuchel made 4 adjustments from the listless win in opposition to Andorra on Saturday, with Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento changing Rashford, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn.
Laser incident
Serbia arrange with a cautious five-man defence and Kane ensured England’s territorial dominance was rewarded within the thirty third minute.
Timing his run to satisfy Declan Rice’s outswinging nook, Kane discovered area to information a scientific header into the nook of the online from 12 yards.
Tuchel’s males doubled their lead two minutes later with a blistering break.
Elliot Anderson’s cross was deftly flicked on by Rogers to ship Madueke sprinting away from the Serbia defence.
The Arsenal winger caressed a composed end over Djordje Petrovic from 10 yards for his fifth purpose involvement in 9 worldwide appearances.
With England lastly taking part in with the eye-catching fashion he had made his mission assertion, Tuchel pumped his fists in a jig of pleasure on the touchline.
A Serbia fan tried to rattle England by shining a inexperienced laser pen into the eyes of Konsa and Reece James, prompting a plea from the stadium announcer to cease the distraction after the sport was briefly halted.
Serbia have been hit with a partial stadium closure after supporters have been responsible of dangerous behaviour, together with “discrimination and racist abuse” in opposition to Andorra in June.
Riot police additionally entered the stands within the second half after Serbia followers chanted inflammatory political slogans.
England have been unfazed and Konsa exacted revenge within the 52nd minute.
Gordon’s shot was parried by Petrovic and Guehi deflected it in direction of Konsa, who had the straightforward activity of tapping house from close-range.
Tottenham defender Djed Spence got here off the bench within the closing levels to develop into the primary Muslim to characterize England.
Milenkovic was despatched off with 18 minutes left after hauling down Kane.
Guehi grabbed England’s fourth purpose within the seventy fifth minute when he poked house from Rice’s free-kick.
Capping a feelgood night for Tuchel, Rashford transformed a ninetieth minute penalty after Ollie Watkins was fouled by Strahinja Erakovic.
