Head coach Thomas Tuchel is now able to fine-tune his plans after the Three Lions confirmed their place last month in next summer's showpiece with two games to spare, and this was a low-key affair on a rain-soaked evening. Tuchel gave a first senior cap to Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly at left-back, but it was one of England's established stars who made the breakthrough, Bukayo Saka scoring after 28 minutes with a perfectly placed left-foot volley beyond Serbia keeper Predrag Rajkovic. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers was selected ahead of Jude Bellingham in the number 10 role and displayed plenty of energy and some nice touches before being replaced by his boyhood friend after 65 minutes. Phil Foden also came on as substitute at the same time, and he combined with Bellingham to set up another replacement, Eberechi Eze, for a superb curling finish to wrap up England's win in the last minute. Serbia mounted the occasional threat in the second half, but England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was able to extend his record run of clean sheets to 10, while Tuchel's side have now scored 20 goals without reply in their successful qualifying campaign.

The Leopards captain ghosted away from his marker to convert Brian Cipenga's deep corner in the first minute of stoppage time and upset the five-time continental champions. The Indomitable Lions hold the African record for the most appearances at the World Cup, with eight overall, but will be missing from the expanded 48-team tournament next year. With just six places separating the sides in the world rankings, the semi-final tie proved to be a cagey affair as heavy rain made conditions difficult in neutral Rabat. Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana pulled off a fine low save to deny Cedric Bakambu on the hour mark, and five minutes later Bryan Mbeumo shot narrowly wide for the Indomitable Lions. Mbeumo's team-mate Karl Etta Eyong was also unable to convert two late chances before Mbemba's dramatic intervention. DR Congo, whose sole World Cup appearance came in 1974 when the country was called Zaire, now face a showdown with Nigeria, who beat Gabon 4-1 after extra time earlier on Thursday in the Moroccan capital. The winners of the continental play-off final will progress to a six-team intercontinental qualifier, which will be held in March and will determine the final two nations at next year's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Chidera Ejuke and Victor Osimhen struck in the first period of added time after the match in Rabat had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. Osimhen ripped off his protective face mask and shirt to celebrate his goal - no doubt partly in relief after the striker had squandered a glorious chance to win it for the Super Eagles in the 12th minute stoppage time at the end of the game. The Galatasaray man grabbed his second goal of the evening five minutes into the second half of extra time to make sure of victory. Nigeria, who enjoyed the better of the semi-final tie, had seemed on course to win in regulation time after Akor Adams pounced on a poor back-pass to give Eric Chelle's side the lead in the 78th minute. But Gabon levelled in the 89th minute through Mario Lemina's deflected shot to send the game to extra time, before the Panthers were eventually undone by clinical finishing from their West African rivals. Nigeria will face either DR Congo in Africa's play-off final on Sunday (19:00 GMT) after the Leopards beat continental heavyweights Cameroon 1-0 in the other semi-final. The winners of that match will then progress to a six-team intercontinental qualifier, which will be held in March and will determine the final two qualifiers for next year's World Cup.

The Polish striker gave the Spanish champions a ninth-minute lead from the penalty spot after Marcos Alonso had handled Fermin Lopez's shot in the area. Celta Vigo immediately responded as Sergio Carreira finished off a counter-attack 22 seconds after Barcelona's Marcus Rashford had a one-on-one chance saved. Rashford made up for his miss in the 36th minute when his cross found Lewandwoski who restored the visitors' lead with a volleyed finish. But mid-table Celta Vigo hit back again in a frantic first half through Borja Iglesias' curling effort into the top corner from the edge of the box. Teenager Lamine Yamal then gave his side the lead for a third time in first-half stoppage time as he dispatched Rashford's deflected cross at the back post. And in the 73rd minute Lewandowski completed his hat-trick by heading in Rashford's corner at the near post. The 37-year-old now has three La Liga hat-tricks, to add to his tally of 16 in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Barcelona had to play the final four minutes of stoppage time with 10 men after midfielder Frenkie de Jong received a second yellow card for tripping Iago Aspas. The win ensured Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid dropping points earlier on Sunday as Xabi Alonso's side played out a drab draw with city rivals Rayo Vallecano.

The meeting of two sides hoping to catch Premier League pace-setters Arsenal turned into a one-sided affair as City dominated to go second and trim the Gunners' lead to four points. City halted Liverpool's recent mini-revival in its tracks, with Erling Haaland almost inevitably setting them on their way as he continued his remarkable scoring form with his 28th goal for club and country this season. Haaland had uncharacteristically wasted an earlier opportunity to give City the lead when his penalty was saved by Liverpool keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who had been penalised for upending Jeremy Doku. The Norway striker made amends after 29 minutes with a soaring header into the right corner from Matheus Nunes' cross, capping a magnificent passing move. It was Haaland's first goal against Liverpool in a match that Virgil van Dijk has started. Liverpool thought they had equalised before half-time when captain Van Dijk rose to head home Mohamed Salah's corner, but their celebrations were curtailed as the goal was ruled out for offside, Andy Robertson ducking in front of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to allow the ball to go in. City added insult to Liverpool's injury in first-half stoppage time when Nico Gonzalez's 20-yard shot deflected in off Van Dijk, with Mamardashvili wrong-footed. Doku tormented the Liverpool defence, Conor Bradley in particular, and the Belgium winger produced a moment of individual brilliance to extend City's lead soon after the hour, curling a superb right-foot effort beyond Mamardashvili from 20 yards.