England got the job done on their first night in action at EURO2024, with Jude Bellingham’s early header proving the winner against a Serbia side who created problems for the Three Lions in the second half.
Gareth Southgate’s team were dominant in the first half and their early pressure was rewarded with Bellingham’s header. However, their opponents came out revitalised after a halftime talking-to from Dragan Stojković and made the last forty-five minutes decidedly uncpomfortable for the tournament favourites, who were lucky to leave the pitch with their narrow lead intact.
As it happened
It didn’t take Gareth Southgate’s long to show their potential in the early stages, dominating the ball and sealing Serbia into their own half. The Serbs tried to frustrate them with heavy numbers back, but England were patient and it paid off swiftly. Phil Foden had a couple of early chances which he was frustrated to have squandered, but all was forgotten when the clock struck twelve minutes. Bukayo Saka did well to cross in from the left under pressure from Strahinja Pavlović and Bellingham stormed in on an unaware Andrija Živković to pick out a bullet header into the top left corner.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Three Lions had a brief scare a few minutes later, when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s heavy touch just in front of his own penalty area gave the ball Živković, who laid it off to the man England would least want to see in that position: Aleksandar Mitrović. They were fortunate that his powerful effort only punished the advertising boards near the goal, a foot or two wide of the post. It was a timely reminder of the threat Serbia could pose.
The atmosphere inside the Arena AufSchalke continued to simmer, with both sets of fans in fine voice and tensions spilling onto the pitch at times. Bellingham instigated a less-than-friendly off the ball encounter with Filip Kostić 23 minutes in, and battles were popping up across the pitch between Harry Kane and Nikola Milenković, John Stones and Mitrović. The foul count multiplied rapidly; Serbia were keen to keep a lid on a confident-looking England’s lead.
As the half continued, Pickford remained relatively undisturbed in England’s goal – Dragan Stojković’s team began to grow into the game, but the Three Lions were able to allay a few fans’ concerns about their defence. Major tournament debutant Marc Guehi justified his selection with some confident defending, and the back line as a whole (the biggest cause of concern for fans going into the competition) looked relatively composed. England looked strong on the break, too, with Kyle Walker and Saka’s linkup a particular headache for Serbia’s left-hand side, the Arsenal forward continuing to sling powerful crosses over the box. Bellingham continued to fulfil his pre-tournament hype, drawing foul and foul with Nemanja Guldelj eventually entering the book.
Play was interrupted briefly before halftime for Filip Mladenović to replace an injured Kostić, and England hit a slight lull in the final few moments. Saša Lukić’s cross could’ve provided an equaliser on the stroke of halftime, drifting tantalisingly across the six yard box – it took an awkward clearance from John Stones to fully relieve the threat, and England entered the interval in the lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland resumed the game unchanged, while Serbia replaced the booked Gudelj with Ivan Ilić – and clearly fired up. The game was taking on a different complexion; unease spread through the England back line, with a dangerous cross from Dušan Vlahović’s in the 52nd minute. Pickford was called off his line minutes later to collect a ball before Mitrović could bear down on it. Shouts for a penalty from Serbia for Trippier’s contact with the striker were dismissed by the referee.
It turned out to be Mitrović’s final involvement as he was then withdrawn, making way along with Lukić for Dušan Tadić and Luka Jović. The Serbs’ threat continued even without him though – Maldenović and Sergej Milinković-Savić threaded passes through the back line nicely on their left wing, and Pickford was forced to collect multiple times. With half an hour to play it was Serbia, who had done little to speak of in the first half, who looked more likely to score.
Southgate made a flurry of changes throughout the second half, looking to inject some energy into an England performance that was quickly becoming flat. Conner Gallagher replaced Alexander-Arnold, but it was Jarrod Bowen (on for Bukayo Saka) who almost made an immediate impact. His floated cross from the right-hand side of Serbia’s penalty area was the would-be assist that Kane had been crying out for all game – but his header was inches high and bounced off the bar, England still appearing off the pace.
Embed from Getty Imagesif there was one man who could be forgiven for tuning out a little by the 80th minute, it would be Jordan Pickford, who had barely had to stretch all night. It was fortunate that he showed again why he remains England’s number one: spectators must have felt that Vlahović hadn’t quite hit his explosive potential all night and he tried to spark a comeback with an excellent long range strike outside the box. Pickford rose to the occasion well, tipping it over the bar in the first proper save he’d had to make all night. It was a definite shot across the bows for England and spoke to their nerves that their centre-forward Kane was all the way back on the goal-line to clear the next effort – all hands were on deck.
Another change to calm the situation (and, cynics would say, help wind down the clock), Kobbie Mainoo was brought on for goalscorer Bellingham to make his competitive England debut. He had little chance to shine creatively in the context of what was effectively ten minutes of gritty defending. Milinković-Savić and Pavlović continued piling on the pressure but, to England’s relief, it was to no avail.
It was a less-than-comfortable night for Gareth Southgate’s side, but they finish matchday 1 top of Group C – with plenty of room for improvement.
Follow the post-match reaction and catch up on today’s other fixture in Group C here on fromTheSpot.
The lineups
SRB: Rajkovic, Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic, Zivkovic, Lukic, Gudelj, Kostic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Mitrovic, Vlahovic.
ENG: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Rice, Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham; Saka, Foden, Kane
