England maintains World Cup qualifying record with narrow victory over Serbia
The England football team edged past Serbia with a 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium, putting a record not achieved by an England manager since 1990 on the line, reports BritPanorama.
Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions have achieved the remarkable feat of not conceding a goal in their World Cup qualifying campaign for the first time in 35 years. Despite this statistic, there remains a sense of caution among supporters as they look ahead to 2026.
There was widespread speculation about the role of Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, ahead of the match. Having been left out of the selection in October, Bellingham was included for the final two matches of 2025 but found himself starting on the bench, facing intense competition from Morgan Rogers, whose performances have been stellar throughout the campaign.
As the match progressed, it was evident that the home crowd, exceeding 74,000, were hoping for a standout performance from Bellingham, who received a warm cheer when his name was called. His late-game entrance did not yield a standout display, however, and within the match, it was Bukayo Saka who opened the scoring with a well-placed volley in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a blocked shot from Nico O’Reilly.
The match began with England controlling possession. Arsenal’s Marcus Rashford was active early on, displaying his confidence as he created chances. Jordan Pickford, England’s goalkeeper, appeared to sustain an injury but continued after brief treatment, suggesting a tactical pause for Tuchel to issue instructions.
Defensively, England faced limited threats from Serbia, who struggled to mount significant attacks for much of the game. Tuchel’s side utilized a familiar 4-3-3 formation, with captain Harry Kane playing a pivotal role in both supporting attacks and tracking back defensively, much to the delight of the fans.
Tuchel made significant changes in the second half, bringing on several attacking substitutes including Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Eberechi Eze, indicating his desire to bolster the attack as the game went on. Eze quickly made an impact, hitting the crossbar shortly before scoring England’s second goal following an incisive pass from Foden.
Despite these solid performances, questions remain about the team’s potential as they head toward the 2026 World Cup. While the record of no goals conceded and the recent victory provide a foundation for optimism, the desire for more exuberant displays looms large among the England fanbase. The grit shown indicates resilience, but one wonders if fans are settling for a mere 2-0 win against Serbia as they await more definitive evidence of England’s capability on the world stage.
