England 2-0 Serbia, Saka and Eze extend winning streak to 7
England beat Serbia 2-0 in the seventh matchday of Group K in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: Saka's goals in the 28th minute and Eze's in the 90th minute were confirmed by VAR; Vlahovic missed in the 4th and 63rd minutes, extending their winning streak to seven.
In the 90th minute, Eberechi Eze unleashed a powerful shot, and after a VAR review, the goal was awarded, securing a 2-0 victory for England against Serbia in the seventh matchday of Group K of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Earlier, Bukayo Saka had opened the scoring in the 28th minute. This result extended England's winning streak to seven matches.
Saka opened the scoring, and Eze sealed the 2-0 victory in the 90th minute.
Playing at home, Thomas Tuchel's side quickly took control and pressed relentlessly. However, the first dangerous opportunity belonged to Serbia when Dusan Vlahovic headed over the crossbar in the 4th minute. Following that warning, England increased the tempo. In the 25th minute, Marcus Rashford forced goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic to make a save.
The persistent pressure paid off in the 28th minute: Bukayo Saka controlled the ball neatly inside the penalty area and finished decisively, giving England a 1-0 lead. The first half ended with the home team maintaining their attacking momentum, while Serbia struggled in their final moments.
In the second half, Serbia pushed forward in search of an equalizer. In the 63rd minute, Vlahovic turned and fired a skillful shot, but the ball went wide of the post. He continued to control the tempo, creating more dangerous situations, but lacked accuracy in his finishing. In the 81st minute, Lazar Samardzic scored from close range for Serbia, but the ball went wide of the post. In the 87th minute, Eze's shot hit the crossbar, signaling the end for the visitors.
In the 90th minute, Eze unleashed a powerful shot, and VAR confirmed the goal was valid. In injury time, England deliberately slowed the pace, closing out the match with a 2-0 victory.
Key moments from the England vs Serbia match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 4 | Dusan Vlahovic's header went over the crossbar for Serbia. |
| 25 | Marcus Rashford shoots, Predrag Rajkovic makes the save. |
| 28 | Bukayo Saka scored, giving England a 1-0 lead. |
| 63 | Vlahovic turned and shot, but the ball went wide of the post. |
| 81 | Lazar Samardzic's close-range rebound shot went wide of the post. |
| 87 | Eberechi Eze's shot hit the crossbar. |
| 90 | Eze scored the goal to seal the 2-0 victory; VAR confirmed. |
Tactical analysis: controlling the pace and finishing ability.
From the start, England controlled possession and proactively pressed, using their speed to break through defenses. When Serbia accelerated after the break and pushed their lines forward, the home team maintained their positions, limiting space in the midfield, forcing their opponents to look for opportunities through individual plays by Vlahovic and Samardzic.
The final minutes saw a back-and-forth exchange, but England showed the difference in quality finishing at the right moments: Eze threatened twice (hitting the crossbar in the 87th minute, scoring in the 90th minute), thus closing off Serbia's hopes before slowing down the pace to control the game.
Selective statistics
- Score: England 2-0 Serbia.
- Goals: Bukayo Saka 28th minute; Eberechi Eze 90th minute (VAR confirmed).
- Notable opportunities for Serbia: Vlahovic in the 4th and 63rd minutes; Samardzic in the 81st minute.
- Key milestone: Matchday seven of Group K in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
- England's winning streak in the qualifiers: 7 consecutive matches.
Post-match impact: 3 points and a strengthened winning streak.
The 2-0 victory secured three crucial points and extended England's winning streak in the qualifiers to seven matches. Under Thomas Tuchel, the team continues to maintain impressive form, despite questions surrounding personnel.