On the brink of a historic first win in 24 years
A blow on the brink of a historic first win. Slovenia walked off the pitch feeling like they had drawn but lost.
Slovenia and Serbia played to a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Euro 2024 Group C second leg at the Fusball-Arena Munich in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Slovenia deployed a 4-4-2 formation. Jan Oblak, Erik Janja, Jaka Bijol, Vanya Durkusic, Jan Karnicnik, Jan Mlakar, Timi Elshnik, Gnezda Cherin, Petar Stojanovic, Benjamin Cesko, and András Sporar started.
Serbia used a 3-4-3 formation. Predrag Raikovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Milosi Velkovic, Sasha Lukic, Luka Ilic, Filip Mladenovic, Dusan Tadic, Andrija Djivkovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Dusan Blahovic were in the starting lineup.
Slovenia will be looking for their first win at the Euros in 24 years after Euro 2000. In their first round match against Denmark, Slovenia conceded an early goal to Christian Eriksen, but battled back to draw 1-1 with a 32nd-minute goal from Janja. Slovenia, who face England in the third round, will be looking to take advantage of Serbia to secure their place in the group.
Serbia, the favorite, is in desperate need of a win. They were held to a goalless draw by an even worse performance by the favorites, England. Jude Bellingham’s goal proved to be the difference as England won 1-0. Serbia must defeat Slovenia to avoid elimination.
Slovenia came out firing from the start. In the third minute, Cheryn’s mid-range shot was saved by Raikovic. In the 7th minute, Mlakar had a shot saved by Raikovic. In the 12th minute, a poor clearance by the defense led to Mkhitaryan’s shot, which was saved by Raikovic.
Having avoided a goal with Raikovic’s performance, Serbia went on the counterattack. Tadic was the center of the attack, and the tandem of Blahovic and Mitrovic were a presence up front, but shots were not forthcoming. In the 26th minute, Vlahovic had the 토토사이트 first shot on goal, a diving header that Oblak caught. Mitrovic had a header opportunity in the 30th minute, but he didn’t quite get it right and it went behind.
Slovenia missed a crucial chance. In the 36th minute, Elšnik slipped through the defense and fired a shot that hit the post. Cesko’s rebound was just wide of the goal.
Having survived the crisis, Serbia went on the offensive. In the 38th minute, Vlahovic’s free kick hit the defense. In the 41st minute, Mitrovic’s shot was saved by Oblak to keep the score at 0-0. In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Mitrovic’s header went wide of the goal. The first half ended 0-0.
Serbia subbed out Mladenovic for Mijat Gajinovic at the start of the second half. Serbia came out more aggressive than in the first half. Mitrovic had a shot on goal in the second minute of the second half, but it was not on target. Six minutes into the second half, Mitrovic had a header that went wide of the goal. Trailing by a goal, Slovenia had a long shot from Cesko in the 14th minute that was saved by Raikovic.
Slovenia brought off Mlakar in the 18th minute for Jon Stankovic. Serbia brought on Luka Jovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the 19th minute for Blahovic and Lukic.
Slovenia had the first laugh. They took a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute of the second half when Karnicic headed home an Elshnik cross to make it 2-0. A rattled 안전놀이터 Serbia turned up the heat on offense. In the 27th minute, Mitrovic had a shot that hit the post. In the 31st minute, Milinkovic-Savic had a shot that went wide.
Serbia continued to attack with Djivkovic on the left, but no threatening chances. In the 31st minute, Zan Bipotnik and Benjamin Berbic added to the pressure. Serbia made two changes in the 36th minute, bringing on Veljko Birmansevic for Djivkovic and Lazar Samardozic for Tadic.
Samardzija had a shot on goal as soon as he came on, but it went wide. Serbia squandered a chance with a poor cross. Slovenia tightened up their defense and began to defend. Serbia sent in cross after cross for Jovic and Mitrovic, but none were on target.
Jovic’s header from a corner kick in stoppage time made it 1-1. Slovenia had just missed out on a historic first win.