Serbia 0 England 5: Three Lions overcome hostile crowd to put one foot in World Cup with best performance under Tuchel

FROM a bearpit to a teddy bear’s picnic. From drift-off to lift-off. 

As a golden silence descended across the intimidating home of Red Star Belgrade, Thomas Tuchel’s England reign headed out of Snoozeville and over to Trumpland.

You can safely book up your transatlantic flights because England have virtually secured their place at next summer’s World Cup, with three games still to play. 

After the Three Lions had sent us into a slumber during Saturday’s teeth-pulling exercise in Andorra, here was by far and away the most impressive performance of the German’s tenure. 

Indeed, it was one of England’s finest away displays in years as goals from Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi saw England cruise through what was supposed to be the stiffest examination of this qualifying group. 

Fair play to Tuchel because several of the players he selected – including Madueke, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon – have shown little form for their clubs, yet they were outstanding here. 

We had been promised a wall of noise and an evening of unbridled hostility yet Serbia were toothless on the field and seriously quiet in the stands  

England were already three to the good, home and hosed before Nikola Milenkovic was sent off for a professional foul on Kane. 

To produce an away win as emphatic as this against such useful opposition, without Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer or John Stones was a seriously good night’s work. 

Tuchel’s side had failed to lift supporters off their seats in their previous qualifiers against Albania, Latvia and two against Andorra, yet this was as entertaining as it was conclusive.  

Tuchel had made four changes, bringing in Konsa and Tino Livramento for Dan Burn and Myles Lewis-Skelly in defence with Rogers and Gordon replacing Eberechi Eze and Marcus Rashford.

There were 7,500 empty seats alongside the 2,500 travelling England fans at the Rajko Mitic Stadium – a punishment for any earlier racism offence by Serbian supporters. 

It was a sweaty night in the Serb capital with humidity, and menace, in the air as England’s players made the long walk up a subterranean tunnel onto the pitch.  

God Save The King was roundly booed by home supporters – but were soon able to create a hush by dominating possession early on.

Serbia were showing precious little ambition, suggesting they might not prove a very different test to Andorra after all. 

England were moving the ball briskly, searching for openings but it took until the 26th minute before they mustered a serious effort on goal.

Gordon dropped his shoulder and cut in between two defenders and rifled a shot which Bournemouth’s former Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic palmed away. 

Soon, a slick move which saw Rogers locate Madueke, who centred low from the right but Kane was unable to poke it over the line – his effort deflected wide but no corner was given. 

Next, Gordon was sent clean through and leathered a shot which forced a fine diving stop from Petrovic. 

The opener arrived on 33 minutes, Rice delivering an outswinging corner to the penalty spot, where Kane expertly directed a stooping header into the far corner of the net. 

It was the captain’s 74th goal in 109 internationals, a tally which is seriously under-appreciated. 

Two minutes later and England were two-up, thanks to a sweet passing move. 

Elliot Anderson fed Rogers, whose cute reverse flick sent Madueke bearing down on goal.

Cutting in front the right, the Arsenal new boy casually lifted his shot over former Chelsea team-mate Petrovic and into the net.  

Madueke knelt and raised his arms, Kane pumped his fists towards the travelling supporters and Tuchel’s reign was finally off the ground. 

“Are you Scotland in disguise?” asked the England fans, politely. 

The Serbian supporters were given a dressing-down over the PA system for using a laser pen and for flying an anti-Kosovo flag but they were so quiet, England’s fans gave it a blast of ‘football in a library’. 

England had 70 per cent of the ball and had out-shot their hosts 10-1 in the opening period. 

Seven minutes after the restart, the result was beyond doubt – after a corner was cleared, Gordon’s shot was pushed out by Petrovic and ricocheted off Marc Guehi for Konsa to stab it over the line. 

Then Milenkovic was red-carded for bringing down Kane as the last man and from the resulting Rice free-kick, Guehi held off his marker to poke over the line. 

England ripped in to the ten men, ravenous for more. Rashford arrived as a sub and had an effort disallowed for offside, while Rice went close to getting a deserved goal for himself. 

Ollie Watkins had only recently arrived as a sub when he was brought down by Strahinja Erakovic – VAR instructing ref Willy Delajod to point to the spot and Rashford stroking home from the spot. 

“Where’s your famous atmosphere?” asked England’s supporters. 

There were very few Serbs left in the ground to hear them. 

It had been unexpected, comprehensive and hugely encouraging.

It is time to stop doubting Thomas.