Key events
61 min: Anderson drops deep on the right, before swivelling and wedging a pass down the flank to nearly release Rashford. Mimović comes across to usher the ball back to his keeper. Then the flag goes up for offside anyway.
59 min: Rashford pearls a shot from distance. Straight at Rajković. He slips over, too, hurting himself in the process. After a beat, he gingerly picks himself up and continues. Speaking of which … “I know you don’t ever go for the obvious,” writes Simon McMahon, “but please allow me. Ringo’s finest hour.”
57 min: Rogers slips Rashford into the box down the inside-left channel. Rashford can’t get a shot away, and the ball breaks back to Rogers, who tries to shovel an improvised shot goalwards … but slips over on the greasy turf, both feet hysterically skidding out from under him. Over he goes in the slapstick style.
56 min: Saka spins clear of Terzić down the right and races off before being hauled down from behind by his victim. The referee comes across and … blows for offside, so there’s no need for any booking.
54 min: Rice loops a free kick into the mixer from the right. Rogers has the opportunity to shoot, but miscontrols and is forced to lay back to O’Reilly, who needs no invitation. However his effort bobbles harmlessly through a crowded box and away from danger.
52 min: Rashford tries again down the left, but can’t get past Mimović – who he nutmegged in the first half. No joy this time.
51 min: Rashford cuts in from the left and has a dig. His shot deflects off Kane and bounces harmlessly out for a goal kick.
49 min: Saka crosses from the right. He nearly finds Rice in the middle. Milenković clears. “The TV director has just given us a shot of the Serbia manager, who’s styling the Diego Simeone black suit/black shirt/black tie look,” writes Charles Antaki. “Trouble is he looks like Jimmy Hill, so the combination doesn’t quite produce the menace he might have hoped for.”
47 min: Pickford demonstrates the health of his left leg by skelping a long ball down the left wing. Mimović, under no pressure whatsoever, absolutely smashes a backpass out for a corner. Rajković had no chance of stopping that, so it’s just as well for Serbia that wasn’t on target, because it would have been a highly comical own goal. Nothing comes of the set piece, though, so all’s well for the visitors in the end.
Serbia get the second half started. No changes. It’s still raining.
HALF TIME: England 1-0 Serbia
… the half-time whistle sounds for real this time. England content. Serbia’s World Cup dream hanging by a thread (though it’s 0-0 at half-time between Andorra and Albania, so they’d still have a chance at the weekend should nothing change in the second half).
45 min +3: … from which nothing comes. A shrill whistle seems to bring the half to a premature end … but it’s come from the crowd! The Wembley announcer starts with his half-time spiel, but the referee waves play on. However, there’s only 15 seconds of confusion before the clock ticks round, and …
45 min +2: Mimović busies himself down the right and earns a corner …
45 min +1: The first of three additional first-half minutes comes and goes.
45 min: Rashford, racing after a long ball on the counter, tries to release Rice down the inside-left channel. He overcooks the pass, allowing Rajković to swat away from Rice’s feet, then race out of his box to blooter clear.
44 min: A Serbian free kick just inside the England half. It’s rolled down the right for Kostić, who chases into the box. Pickford comes out to hook away from the Serbian winger. From the resulting corner, Terzić has a whack that pinballs through the England box before being cleared.
43 min: Rashford brings down a long ball with a feathery touch, gliding in from the left … only to foul Mimović, who cleverly spotted the danger and got his body in between man and ball.
42 min: O’Reilly advances down the left, and his low cross is deflected onto the base of the left-hand post by Stanković’s outstretched boot. Corner. Rice takes it, sending it looping long from the left. Kane meets the world-class delivery at the far stick, six yards out, and should score, but heads down and wide right instead. Most uncharacteristic behaviour. What a ball from Rice, though.
40 min: Some good news re Saka. He’s still going, having changed his boots, and doesn’t seem to be moving awkwardly now. That sort-of explains the gesturing to the bench, if not exactly the time-out gesture.
39 min: Stanković comes on for Ilić. Then a Serbian corner, sent in from the left by Lukić. Pickford punches clear, then Terzić slices wildly over the bar from distance.
37 min: Yes, Ilić can’t continue. He’s helped off the pitch, though at least he’s able to stand up, limping off. Hopefully that looked worse than it was, because it looked pretty bad, poor chap. Godspeed on the road to recovery.
35 min: Rashford sends a curler towards the top right. Easy for the keeper. While he was shooting, Ilić stretched for the ball, slipped, and caught his studs in the turf. He goes over in pain. He might have done something to his knee.
33 min: England pass and probe patiently. “Perhaps someone might suggest to Thomas Tuchel that there is a very effective way to avoid getting drenched without resorting to MUSS (McClaren Umbrella Shambles Syndrome),” begins Kim Thonger, extremely promisingly. “The fine and brave fisherman around the coast of Britain have long deployed sou’wester, bib & brace and smock oilskins for these conditions. He would pick up a great deal of support in places like Newlyn, Brixham, Shoreham, Lowestoft, Whitby, Fleetwood, and Grimsby. I recommend yellow for his complexion.”
Good idea. The merch possibilities are endless. And perhaps the FA could release this as the official World Cup song?
31 min: … but he’s going to continue for now.
30 min: Saka celebrates by gesturing towards the bench, shaping T with his hands. Time out! He’s frowning and limping a bit. Maybe he thinks his work tonight is done, and fancies a hot bath. He’s done enough to earn the right. Such a lovely goal! Admittedly steered in with his ankle, rather than instep, but you can’t quibble with the technique and poise.
GOAL! England 1-0 Serbia (Saka 28)
Rice swings the free kick in from the right. Rajković punches to the edge of the box. O’Reilly, from the left-hand side of the D, shoots. The ball’s deflected right, dropping to Saka, who creams a first-time shot across Rajković and into the bottom left. What an exquisite volley with the instep!
27 min: Saka cuts in from the right again. A low drive this time. Pavlović blocks with his ankle, but Serbia only half clear, and when Anderson advances down the right, Pavlović brings him down. And from the resulting free kick …
26 min: Živković gets the better of O’Reilly down the right and whips a low cross towards Vlahović, whose hopes of connecting with a Houchenesque diving header are scuppered by Konsa’s clearance. A reminder that Serbia most likely need something here tonight if they’re to make the World Cup.
25 min: Rice spurts down the left and rolls infield for Rashford, who opens his body and attempts to power-curl towards the top right. He doesn’t get enough on it, and Rajković claims easily.
24 min: In the meantime, Thomas Tuchel gathers everyone else into a tactical huddle. As he issues beneficial advice to his players, Pickford springs back up. He’s fine to continue. Cynical eyebrow up!
23 min: Pickford goes down off the ball. He’s feeling the top of his left leg. On comes the physio.
22 min: Rice mishits the corner and Terzić hoicks clear. All that pressure for nothing.
21 min: O’Reilly crosses from the left. Too long. Anderson crosses from the right. Same again. Kane tries to burst through the middle. No space. Saka cuts back from the right, hoping to find Rogers. The ball’s blocked out for a corner, from which …
19 min: Saka cuts in from the right and attempts to replicate his wonder-strike against Wales. He leans back and so his curler finds the top-left corner of the stand rather than the goal.
18 min: … in fact, it’s so wet that Mimović has to ostentatiously dry the ball with his shirt – as best he can, given it’s soaked through – to take a short throw. It’s lashing down.
16 min: Terzić throws long from the left. He does well to reach the penalty area in these conditions. Vlahović wins a header but he’s penalised for pushing.
14 min: Kostić is clipped late by James. He felt that, and stays down awhile. He eventually gets up with a less-than-impressed look on his face. A duel to watch?
12 min: Stones makes a crunching tackle on Vlahović to set England on another attack. Rogers, buzzing around, looks for Kane just to the right of the D, but overcooks a pass. He didn’t have too much time to make it, to be fair. Better from England, and that’s got the crowd purring a little.
11 min: … so thanks to England for finally putting together a move. Rogers sprays (yes) a pass left to Rashford, who thinks about shooting but rolls back across the pitch to James. A low cross deflects off the nearest blue-socked leg and up into the arms of Rajković.
10 min: The England band try their best to whip up an atmosphere, but fizzle out after a few parps.
9 min: Veljko Paunović by contrast has the hood of his coat down, and runs his fingers through his hair. Otherwise, there’s nothing much going on.
7 min: There’s not much of an atmosphere at Wembley. The rain has seen to that. Literally damped down. Thomas Tuchel is surely unlikely to moan about it this time, like he did after the Wales win, standing on the touchline, cap and hood soaked through. He’ll understand the misery. If only he felt able to shield himself properly, but Steve McClaren really did a number on everyone with that brolly.
5 min: Živković’s corner is headed behind by Konsa. Živković’s second corner, taken short, is a waste of time.
4 min: A simple long ball from Mimović down the inside-right channel nearly opens England up in a stroke. Vlahović races after it, just ahead of Konsa, who does well to get back level and block the eventual shot from a tight angle out for the first corner of the match.
3 min: Konsa tries to feed Saka on the same flank; this time it’s Serbia’s captain Kostić who nips in to intercept.
2 min: Kane tries to release Saka down the inside-right channel with a dainty flick, but Pavlović reads the intent and steps in to intercept.
1 min: England start with a bit of patient passing around the back. Pickford then launches long. The ball’s soon back at his feet.
So much for kicking off at 7.45pm (it’s 7.47pm) but England eventually get the ball rolling. Skidding. Squelching. It’s wet.
Here come the teams. England in white, Serbia in blue. It is hosing down at Wembley. A bit like this …
ITV also quizzed Tuchel on reading between the lines of his press conferences … “Normally everything I say to you, the guys have already heard it in the locker room, or between us in a chat … I don’t give messages via the camera … everything is already said … they heard the message already … normally this is how I operate.”
… the likelihood of any surprise player making a late run for the World Cup squad … “We run out of camps … we have just one more camp … we are running out of matches to try things … but every player has a chance … they compete in the best leagues in Europe … form and attitude and performance will always be rewarded … there is always a chance.”
… the prospect of Danny Welbeck making it … “Welbeck was very close … do I really need to see this in November? … I already know what he can give us [as an orthodox back-up to Harry Kane] … I can wait.”
… the chances of England winning the World Cup … “There will be some good teams competing with us, I am afraid! … we need to make sure we are ready … we have a strong squad … it is exciting.”
… and the possibility of his staying on after the tournament, a question he straight-batted, explaining … “[The press] asked me, I was polite to answer.”
Thomas Tuchel runs through the numbers on NBC ITV. “We have some options [for number 10] … maybe we will have to take tough decisions … first we need to come to the summer … we have four matches to play … the first one is today and that is where the focus is … [Phil Foden] is an option in the middle of the pitch … I want him close to the opponents’ box … he plays a bit of a deeper role for Man City, which he does excellently … very impressively … maybe in the next months he will be an option for the number eight! … at the moment he is between a nine and a ten.”
There are a few familiar faces in the Serbia squad. Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenković and Fulham midfielder Saša Lukić start, while goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović and young defender Veljko Milosavljević, both of Bournemouth, are on the bench. Marko Grujić, formerly of Liverpool and Cardiff City, is also named as a sub. Their attack is led by Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.
… although how much hope Serbia are holding onto is a moot point. Because here’s a reminder of what happened when the teams met in Belgrade two months ago.
There may not be much riding on this match for already-qualified England, but it’s a big fixture for Serbia, who are currently third in Group K. They’re one point behind second-placed Albania, who are away at bottom-placed Andorra tonight. Assuming the Albanians win – and Andorra have just one point from their previous six matches, from a draw with fellow stragglers Latvia – Serbia will have to avoid defeat at Wembley if they’re to retain any chance of finishing second and advancing to the play-offs. (Albania host England on the final matchday, this coming Sunday, while Serbia welcome Latvia.)
1. England P6 W6 D0 L0 F18 A0 Pts 18
2. Albania P6 W3 D2 L1 F6 A3 Pts 11
3. Serbia P6 W3 D1 L2 F7 A7 Pts 10
4. Latvia P7 W1 D2 L4 F4 A13 Pts 5
5. Andorra P7 W0 D1 L6 F3 A15 Pts 1
Thomas Tuchel makes three changes to the side sent out to thrash Latvia 5-0 last month. In come Reece James, Marcus Rashford and debutant Nico O’Reilly, taking the places of Djed Spence, who drops to the bench, the injured Anthony Gordon and the unselected Myles Lewis-Skelly. Tuchel’s selection means Morgan Rogers keeps his place in the number-10 role ahead of the recalled Jude Bellingham, who must make do with a place on the bench.
The teams
England: Pickford, James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Rogers, Saka, Kane, Rashford.
Subs: Wharton, Spence, Trafford, Jordan Henderson, Dean Henderson, Foden, Chalobah, Burn, Bellingham, Eze, Bowen, Quansah.
Serbia: Rajkovic, Pavlovic, Milenkovic, Terzic, Mimovic, Ivan Ilic, Gudelj, Lukic, Kostic, Zivkovic, Vlahovic.
Subs: Petrovic, Grujic, Radonjic, Jovic, Katai, Veljkovic, Milosavljevic, Erakovic, Luka Ilic, Stankovic, Samardzic, Veljko Ilic.
Referee: Ivan Kružliak (Slovakia)
… but having said all that, we’re nothing if we’re not a broad church. Something for everyone!
Preamble
England have already made it. So what else substantially is there to say? Apologies to those who are genuinely interested in the public-facing workshopping of the eventual World Cup starting XI, but these MBMs also have to provide a service to the constituency that considers a third international break in as many months to be a serious imposition on their precious leisure time and a severe test of patience, and that’s who this particular preamble is aimed at. They don’t ask for much, let’s give them this one at least. Kick-off is at 7.45pm GMT, and the Premier League is back a week Saturday.
