England produced a scintillating performance in Belgrade as they ran out 5-0 winners against Serbia in a UEFA World Cup qualifying clash on Tuesday night.
The result keeps Thomas Tuchel’s men perfect in Group K, making it four wins out of four matches in their campaign.
Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after a fine assist from Declan Rice, before Noni Madueke doubled the advantage just two minutes later with a well-taken finish.
England went into the break two goals ahead, firmly in control of the contest at the Stadion Rajko Mitić.
The second half brought more dominance from the visitors. Ezri Konsa made it 3-0 shortly after the restart, profiting from a clever ball played by Marc Guehi.
Serbia’s night worsened in the 72nd minute when captain Nikola Milenković was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul on Kane, leaving the hosts to finish the match with 10 men.
With Serbia down a man, England capitalised further. From the resulting set piece, Declan Rice delivered another pinpoint cross, allowing Guehi to head home England’s fourth of the night.
The Crystal Palace defender capped a fine display by contributing both a goal and an assist in what was arguably his best performance yet in national colours.
The final word came from substitute Marcus Rashford, who calmly converted a penalty in the closing stages after a VAR review confirmed a foul on Ollie Watkins.
The Manchester United forward’s trademark no-look spot kick sealed a comprehensive five-star victory for England and underlined their growing confidence under Tuchel.
The win keeps England top of Group K with maximum points, while Serbia remain second after suffering their first defeat of the qualifiers.
For Tuchel’s side, who had endured criticism after unconvincing displays in earlier games, this emphatic triumph was not only a statement of intent but also a reminder of the attacking firepower at their disposal.
