England 2-0 Serbia, Saka and Eze extend winning streak to 7
England beat Serbia 2-0 in the seventh round of Group K of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: Saka in the 28th minute, Eze in the 90th minute were confirmed by VAR; Vlahovic missed the 4th and 63rd minutes, the winning streak increased to 7
In the 90th minute, Eberechi Eze scored a tricky shot and after a VAR check, the goal was recognized, sealing a 2-0 victory for England against Serbia in the seventh match of Group K of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Before that, Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 28th minute. The result helped England extend their winning streak to 7 matches.
Saka opened the score, Eze finished 2-0 in the 90th minute
Playing at home, Thomas Tuchel's team quickly took the initiative and continuously pressed. However, the first dangerous opportunity belonged to Serbia when Dusan Vlahovic headed over the bar in the 4th minute. After that warning situation, England increased the tempo. In the 25th minute, Marcus Rashford forced goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic to show his talent to block.
The sustained pressure was converted in the 28th minute: Bukayo Saka handled the ball neatly in the box and finished decisively, giving England a 1-0 lead. The first half ended with the home team maintaining their attacking play, while Serbia were deadlocked in the final phases.
In the second half, Serbia pushed up their formation to find an equalizer. In the 63rd minute, Vlahovic turned and shot skillfully but the ball missed the post. He still controlled the rhythm, creating more dangerous situations but lacked precision in the finishing phase. In the 81st minute, Lazar Samardzic kicked the ball close to the goal for Serbia but the ball missed the post. In the 87th minute, Eze hit the crossbar, signaling the end for the away team.
In the 90th minute, Eze shot dangerously, VAR confirmed the goal as valid. In the extra minutes, England took the initiative to slow down the pace, ending the match with a 2-0 victory.
Main developments of the England vs Serbia match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 4 | Dusan Vlahovic headed over the bar for Serbia. |
| 25 | Marcus Rashford shot, Predrag Rajkovic saved. |
| 28 | Bukayo Saka scores, England leads 1-0. |
| 63 | Vlahovic turned and shot, but the ball missed the post. |
| 81 | Lazar Samardzic's close-range shot missed the post. |
| 87 | Eberechi Eze's shot hit the crossbar. |
| 90 | Eze scores to make it 2-0; VAR confirmed. |
Tactical analysis: tempo control and finishing ability
From the start, England controlled the ball and actively applied pressure, using their speed to penetrate. When Serbia accelerated after the break and pushed up the formation, the home team kept their distance, limiting the space in the middle, forcing their opponents to look for opportunities through individual handling of Vlahovic and Samardzic.
The final minutes were a "tit for tat" affair, but England showed the difference in the quality of their timely finishing: Eze threatened twice (hit the crossbar in the 87th minute, scored in the 90th minute), thereby closing down Serbia's hopes before slowing down to manage the match.
Selected statistics
- Score: England 2-0 Serbia.
- Goals: Bukayo Saka 28th minute; Eberechi Eze 90th minute (VAR confirmed).
- Serbia's notable chances: Vlahovic 4th, 63rd minute; Samardzic 81st minute.
- Milestone: The seventh match of Group K, 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
- England's winning streak in qualifying: 7 consecutive matches.
Post-match impact: 3 points and winning streak consolidated
The 2-0 win secured all three points and extended England's winning run to seven qualifying matches. Under Thomas Tuchel, the team has continued to maintain its impressive form, despite personnel questions.
