Jude Bellingham guided England to a 1-0 victory over Serbia in their Euro 2024 opener in Gelsenkirchen, the win failed to fully dispel concerns about the Three Lions’ aspirations of claiming their first European title.
Bellingham, shining in midfield for Real Madrid, capped a stellar individual performance with a header in the 13th minute. Despite his standout display, England’s overall play fell short of the commanding performances seen by Germany and Spain in their opening matches.
England, buoyed by their run to the Euro 2020 final, faced high expectations heading into the tournament but had won just one of their previous five matches, including a disappointing 1-0 loss to Iceland in their final warm-up game.
Fully restored to strength, Gareth Southgate’s side started brightly, dominating possession early on against Serbia. Bellingham, praised by Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic as a future Ballon d’Or winner, justified such accolades by orchestrating play and keeping the Serbian midfield on the back foot.
The 20-year-old not only displayed technical finesse but also physical prowess, initiating the goal-scoring move before emphatically heading Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross into the top corner.
England continued their dominance throughout the first half but failed to capitalize further. Kyle Walker squandered their best chance to double the lead, pulling his shot wide after a penetrating run into the Serbian penalty area.
Southgate’s decision to deploy Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield nearly backfired, with an error from the makeshift midfielder leading to Serbia’s only significant chance of the half, spurned by prolific striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The second half saw a shift in momentum as England opted to protect their lead, inviting pressure from Serbia. Southgate’s defensive concerns, exacerbated by the absence of Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw’s match fitness, were evident as Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi struggled to contain Serbia’s attacks.
Serbia’s threats increased with Mitrovic appealing in vain for a penalty and Luka Jovic missing a promising opportunity from Dusan Tadic’s delivery. Southgate reacted by introducing Conor Gallagher and Jarrod Bowen from the bench to stabilize England’s midfield and alleviate pressure.
Bowen’s immediate impact saw him deliver a cross that forced a superb save from Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, denying Harry Kane’s header from extending England’s lead. Kane, otherwise subdued in attack, crucially cleared Veljko Birmancevic’s goal-bound effort off the line shortly after.
England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was called into action late on to deny a dipping strike from Dusan Vlahovic, ensuring England held on for three points despite falling short of making the emphatic statement expected from pre-tournament favourites.
The victory sets England on course in Group D, yet questions remain over their ability to assert dominance against tougher opponents as they seek to fulfil their championship ambitions.
