BELGRADE, Serbia -- England 's Thomas Tuchel era has finally lifted off. Tuesday's thumping 5-0 win against Serbia may be the fifth-consecutive competitive victory of Tuchel's reign, but it is the first that offered signs of genuine progress, suggesting the aim of winning next summer's World Cup may be a realistic ambition after all.

There is, of course, more work to do. The hosts showed surprisingly little attacking intent and, in any case, are ranked 32nd in the FIFA World Rankings.

But this trip to the notoriously hostile Rajko Mitić Stadium here in Belgrade was a potential banana skin for a hitherto unconvincing England side, which they sidestepped adeptly with an authoritative performance that validated Tuchel's prematch assertion that they are indeed evolving in the right way

See Full Page