FIFA set to dish out 'substantial' fine after Serbia vs England controversy

Serbia are set to be hit with a huge fine following their fans’ “dangerous” use of a laser against England. The Three Lions took on Serbia on Wednesday evening, securing the most emphatic victory of the Thomas Tuchel era so far.

England stormed to a 5-0 success - Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Mark Guehi and Marcus Rashford all finding the net. The hosts were also reduced to ten men late on as Nikola Milenkovic was given his marching orders by referee Clement Turpin.

There was also a bizarre incident asEngland star Ezri Konsa had a laser shone in his face from a member of the crowd. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Paul Robinson said: "Ezri Konsa immediately stopped.

“You could see the flash on his shirt. He put his hands to his eyes. A clear green laser pen must have shone in his face."

Match official Turpin immediately halted the game, while an announcement was then made over the stadium tannoy appealing for those responsible to stop shining the light. And while there was not another incident, ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett believes that the Serbian FA could now face some serious consequences.

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Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “The use of a laser is dangerous and unacceptable. Turpin, the French referee, is a very experienced referee and will have been informed.

“The match observer in attendance will have requested the announcement be made. The matter will be reported to the authorities and Serbia will be sanctioned with a substantial fine.”

Serbia were already forced to play the game in front of a reduced-capacity stadium. FIFA had issued that punishment for racist chanting in a previous game against Andorra.

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The Serbian FA have also been fined more than £600,000 by FIFA and UEFA over recent years for "various prohibited items, insults, and discrimination in the stands". Branko Radujko, the general secretary of the FSS, had appealed for fans to behave before the game - a wish that seemingly fell on deaf ears.

"We are still under special monitoring of UEFA," he wrote in the matchday programme. "Every inappropriate reaction, insult or incident could cost us dearly on our path to the USA, Mexico and Canada, including the possibility of having to play a decisive match with Albania behind closed doors.

"That is the reason I sincerely and seriously call on you: let us cheer from the heart but let it be fair. We can be loud but dignified. Let our support be a source of strength, not a risk for the national team."

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