England and Serbia have an enviable track record in delivering exciting football battles, so their group stage encounter at Euro 2024 won’t disappoint either.
Gareth Southgate has assembled a talented Three Lions side, but can they remain cohesive defensively?
Serbia national football team vs England national football team timeline: Serbia counterattacks as Bukayo Saka is replaced by Veljko Birmancevic; England wins a free-kick, which Foden then executes.
History
Jude Bellingham’s early header proved enough for England to beat Serbia 1-0 in their Euro 2024 opening matchup at Arena AufSchalke, though Gareth Southgate’s side had to work hard in order to do so. Although Gareth Southgate had most possession, but struggled to turn it into goals against an effective Serbian defense, this performance from England showed they have what it takes to go deep into tournament.
There have been only limited head-to-head encounters between England and Scotland, yet both teams are renowned for their passionate and high-quality football. The initial meeting, in a friendly in 2003, was won 2-1 by England thanks to Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole – although more formal fixtures such as qualifying matches have taken place since.
First half was an uneventful affair, with neither side finding its feet quickly enough in the game. Shots finally started being taken in the 33rd minute with Jordan Pickford making two outstanding saves to stop chances from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marc Guehi before halftime.
As the game entered its final minutes, Dusan Vlahovic and Luka Jovic put Serbs close. Finally, Predrag Rajkovic saved Harry Kane’s penalty following Milenkovic’s foul.
The Three Lions have taken control of the ball but are yet to create a clear-cut chance. In order for this match to become memorable, England must maintain their intensity throughout.
Serbia scored one-third of their qualifying goals through headers, giving them the potential to do the same against an England side that lacks aerial strength. Gareth Southgate can field a full squad and expects his side to rise up to the challenge; hopefully bettering their performance from Iceland and being amongst those first through to round two. The winner of this clash will go straight through.
Preparation
This high-stakes encounter provided invaluable lessons for both teams involved. England’s ability to quickly transition from defense to attack was instrumental in exploiting Serbian mistakes and capitalizing on their mistakes quickly. England’s defensive efforts also played a vital role in stopping Serbia from creating goal scoring chances, providing strong proof that their team could compete with top teams at this tournament.
Gareth Southgate must be pleased with how his side are playing so far; but they will need more than a one-goal lead from this matchup. However, England’s defence was resilient enough to reduce Serbian threats early in this match-up.
Southgate makes a change by replacing Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool forward Conor Gallagher as an immediate replacement for injured Saka. Gallagher will add more attacking flair to England’s play.
Serbia make their mark as Vlahovic fires an effort at goal, only for Pickford to save it with an amazing save from behind the bars. He hadn’t had much work to do, yet this momentous save proves key for their hopes of victory.
The game remains tight with neither team able to break through their opponent’s defences. England is impressive with their passing and movement; however they must work on improving their finishing if they hope to take full advantage of their opportunities. Serbia also have well-organized defences but must increase their ability to break down organized sides more easily.
Serbia are dominating possession, yet are failing to convert their chances. A great one-two between Milinkovic-Savic and Mitrovic saw Mitrovic put in a cross which fell too deep for anyone in red to reach. Bellingham beat Ilic to an intercepted through ball but his shot was blocked; as a result the first half came to an end without further goals scored.
Match
England made a strong opening statement at Veltins Arena with an early win, taking control of this match very early on under Gareth Southgate and seizing control early. They dominated possession and created numerous chances that were met with cheers of support from fans at Veltins Arena.
As the first half progressed, Serbia started to find their groove. They quickly won control of midfield battle and presented England with an unpredictable counterattack threat.
Dusan Vlahovic nearly put the visitors ahead with an outside-of-the-box shot from Dusan Vlahovic, but Jordan Pickford made an outstanding save to ensure a 0-0 halftime scoreline. In the second half, both teams struggled to break down well organized defenses, yet both displayed plenty of quality footballers on display.
Jude Bellingham scored the first goal of the match in the 57th minute when he managed to beat all defenders before scoring comfortably – prompting a huge cheer from fans in attendance and earning him a standing ovation from them all.
England attempted to take back the lead but were thwarted in their attempts by an inability to find an effective pass. Trent Alexander-Arnold played a nice ball over the top for Foden but his Manchester City forward couldn’t connect with it and the cross.
After some excellent teamwork between Bellingham, Declan Rice and him, Liverpool winger Andrew Robertson wins a corner from Bellingham after which he attempts to set up Kane with a cross which is saved by Rajkovic. England then made their changes; with Bukayo Saka making way for Jarrod Bowen.
Serbia continue their attack against England’s defense, but their attempts at breaking through are unsuccessful. Milinkovic-Savic attempts to set up Jovic with a through ball, but the striker fails to gain possession.
At less than 10 minutes left in the match, no goals have been scored yet. A foul on the edge of the penalty area gave Serbia a free kick but they failed to use it effectively. Extra time will now begin and both teams hope to find that elusive winning goal if they wish to advance further in this tournament.
Final score
England was victorious with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to Jude Bellingham’s brilliant shot that gave Serbia’s goalkeeper no chance. Fans and pundits lauded Jude for his performance while England players earned praise for their relentless pursuit of scoring opportunities – an unforgettable match full of talent and determination that taught both teams valuable lessons about each other’s game plans.
The second half begins slowly for both teams as they struggle to regain possession. Foden quickly made an impression as he won a free-kick but saw his effort blocked, trying again soon afterwards but being cleared away for a corner by Rajkovic.
Bellingham has been England’s main threat, wreaking havoc with Serbia’s defence and creating opportunities. His pace and skill ensure he’s nearly impossible to stop; England even won a corner when Bellingham beat Ilic – though his cross was too deep for anyone wearing an England shirt to react effectively to.
England remain calm and collected as they maintain their lead against Serbia, despite struggling with possession. Southgate’s team are working hard, and their hard work is paying dividends with several set pieces. Alexander-Arnold’s crosses pose a great threat for Serbia’s defense while Bellingham had another opportunity when heading a corner just wide of goal.
Serbia are beginning to take control of this game as they press high up the pitch and look for any opportunities in England’s defense. Milinkovic-Savic and Tadic combine for an immediate one-two, but Jovic fails to gather it. They continue pressing forward as Vlahovic almost scores an equaliser when his cross just misses Mladenovic.
After a hard fought win for England in their Group F match-up against Germany, they celebrate an important win by celebrating an emphatic win against Slovenia 3-0. This result will increase their chances of progressing to the next round, but if they want to take it all the way they will need to improve their finishing by capitalising on opportunities they create and being more clinical in front of goal to advance to the semi-finals.
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