England’s position in Euro 2024 Group C has been strengthened by Serbia’s dramatic 95th minute equaliser against Slovenia on Thursday afternoon, ensuring the latter was unable to leapfrog Gareth Southgate’s team at the top of the standings.
The Three Lions now go into Thursday evening’s encounter with Denmark ahead of the rest and with the opportunity to finish matchday two by opening up a four-point cushion on second place.
Former Real Madrid flop Luka Jovic was the Serbian hero, managing to direct Ivan Ilic’s in-swinging stoppage time corner into the net with his head, despite his shirt almost being ripped from his back.
It was basically the very last moment of the contest, with the referee signalling full-time as soon as the game restarted. Slovenian players hit the deck, crestfallen, having seen a first ever European Championship win snatched away in such agonising fashion. Three points would also all but certainly sealed their place in the knockout stages of a major international tournament for the first time.
Having fought hard for a point against Denmark on matchday one, they had taken the lead in the 69th minute through right-back Zan Karnicnik and were literally seconds away from victory. However, their fate now depends on next Tuesday’s encounter with England.
Headlines before kick-off in Munich centred on Serbia’s threat to withdraw from the tournament after anti-Serbian chanting was heard during Wednesday’s clash between Croatia and Albania, calling on UEFA to impose sanctions on each national federation.
And plastic bottles and cups rained down on the pitch from the stands as Dragan Stojokvic’s side were searching desperately for their equalising goal.
In snatching away Slovenia’s chance of almost certainly reaching the knockout stages with a game to spare – four points has always been enough in this 24-team format – Serbia have revived their own.
Having lost on matchday one against England, they will go on to face Denmark next week knowing that victory in that game would get themselves onto four points and therefore into the knockouts for the first time since competing at Serbia, rather than Yugoslavia.
Source: 90min.com
