The England team struggled to beat the Serbians at the start of Euro 2024. Did you expect another game from Gareth Southgate’s team?
The only RPL representative in the Serbian national team, Spartak’s Srdjan Babic, did not enter the starting eleven, despite Dragan Stojkovic’s team starting with three central defenders. The Serbians played in a 5-3-2 formation and from the first minutes they were in their own half of the field. We gave the ball to the opponent. The coaching staff of the Russian team, after a recent friendly meeting with the Serbian team, pointed out that with this coach the team plays like Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta. But in the first match of Euro 2024, no personal pressure was observed in his performance. And in the 13th minute, when the British scored, the Serbians were 14 times inferior in accurate passes to the opposing third (4:56).
Serbia – England
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It is even strange that with such an advantage the English team created the first opportunity and struck the first blow only in the episode of the goal scored. Southgate’s team broke through the left flank of the Serbian defense in a scoring attack: behind them Bukayo Saka was allowed. The Arsenal winger sent the ball into the area, but right-back Zivkovic did not read the movement of Bellingham who burst under the center. The Champions League winner took another step towards the Ballon d’Or.
Only with the score 0:1 did the Serbian team play more boldly. He lifted the lines and started applying pressure depending on the situation. Midway through the first half, Pickford finally scored the goal. However, in that episode it was center Trent who brought the ball into his own goal, who simply gave the ball to the enemy near the England penalty area. The king of the Saudi league, Mitrovic, shot almost from the penalty line and narrowly missed.
At the same time, the British had room for counterattacks. On a couple of occasions, Southgate’s team escaped in transition phases after errors in long balls by Vlahovic, who was forced to move towards an inside position due to Mitrovic’s positioning as a center forward and pretending to be a playmaker. But that, of course, is none of your business. In one of these retaliatory attacks, Walker spared the Serbs.
Surprisingly, Bellingham’s goal remained the only shot on target before the break. Vlahovic and Mitrovic never touched the ball in the England penalty area for 45 minutes – Gehi and Stones reliably covered the center of the defense. And the English completely lost Kane, who only made two touches (both outside the area). However, in the scoring attack, the forward attracted the defender, which helped Jude.
During the break, the Serbs abandoned Gudel, who was on the card, and this was already the second change in Stojkovic’s team. And the first one is forced. Kostic was substituted due to injury. In the second half, the Serbian team increased its percentage of possession and could have deserved a penalty at the end of the hour. Mitrovic, trying to get ahead, fell in the area after touching Trippier. Referee Orsato decided that the blow to the leg did not constitute a foul. Debatable.
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The England team did not play, but worked to obtain results. It is unlikely that the fans of the European runners-up liked this, with this or that composition! So Southgate will drive his critics crazy again. The Serbs, who traditionally fail in major tournaments and increasingly resemble the Russian team of the 90s (there are stars, but there is no strong team), felt that these Englishmen could be tested.
Serbia – England
Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images
Only a quarter of an hour before the end of the match Kane had his chance. One of the rare good attacks by the British ended with a pass down the right wing by Bowen, who had just appeared on the field. The Bayern striker did everything brilliantly: he won the duel, scored with a header, but Rajkovic’s save and the crossbar prevented the beautiful goal from occurring.
This was not the most outstanding match, to put it mildly, it ended with a minimal victory for the England team. Judging by the match and the substitutions, Southgate got what he wanted. “Dry”, minimal victory. The statistics of shots in the match in Gelsenkirchen are very modest: 6:5 in favor of the Serbians, on goal: 1:3, from the area: 1:2. Kane scored a goal and after the final whistle he probably thought it would be difficult for him to become the top scorer at Euro 2024.
