Serbia 0-1 England: Bellingham gives Three Lions winning start at Euro 2024

Jude Bellingham was the hero as England launched their Euro 2024 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.

The Real Madrid midfielder’s stooping header opened the Three Lions’ account in the 13th minute of Sunday’s Group C clash.

England ultimately held on to make it four wins from four opening matches at major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, though Serbia were by far the better side in the second half.

That being said, Harry Kane almost doubled England’s lead, with Predrag Rajkovic tipping brilliantly onto the crossbar from the striker’s header, with his opposite number Jordan Pickford making a fine save from Dusan Vlahovic to keep Serbia at bay at the other end.

Euro 2020 runners-up England quickly settled into their rhythm and their positive start was rewarded when Bukayo Saka’s cross deflected up and into the path of Bellingham, who duly powered home.

The Three Lions survived a scare seven minutes later when Aleksandar Mitrovic fired narrowly wide of Pickford’s left post after a mistake from Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.

However, they went close to doubling their lead soon after as Kyle Walker raced in behind the Serbia defence on the counter, but he dragged off target.

England did not flow as freely after the break, and Serbia swiftly established their dominance, albeit without overly testing Pickford.

Dusan Tadic’s introduction only increased the pressure on England’s defence, and fellow substitute Luka Jovic snatched at a good chance, though Southgate’s team would have had a second if not for Rajkovic’s wonderful reflex stop from Kane in the 77th minute.

The Three Lions had Pickford to thank for pushing Vlahovic’s snapshot over eight minutes from time, before Kane made a vital block, but England got the job done.

5 – England have become the first team in the history of the men’s UEFA European Championship to keep five consecutive clean sheets in the group stages of the competition. Wall. pic.twitter.com/WRVQ4SATJC

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 16, 2024

Three points for Three Lions, but too close for comfort

England’s last visit to Gelsenkirchen ended in penalty shootout heartbreak, when Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team were knocked out of the 2006 World Cup in the quarter-finals by Portugal.

Bellingham had only just celebrated his third birthday. Fast forward nearly 18 years, and the Madrid superstar ensured the Three Lions’ next visit to Arena AufSchalke provided happier memories with his thumping header eventually proving enough to seal the points.

England’s dominant start faded, and they were holding on a little towards the end.

Nevertheless, they managed to see out a 12th victory at major tournaments since the start of the 2018 World Cup, the joint-most by any nation during that time (level with France).

Meanwhile, the Three Lions became the first team in European Championship history to keep five consecutive clean sheets in the group stages of the competition.

A losing Euros return for Serbia

This was Serbia’s first appearance at the European Championship since 2000 (as Yugoslavia) – and their first in the competition as a unified nation.

Dragan Stojkovic was captain of that side that reached the quarter-finals in the Netherlands and Belgium and, fittingly, was the man to lead them back into the tournament just under a quarter of a century later.

Ironically, the Eagles’ last visit to this stadium at a major tournament came exactly 18 years ago to the day, with Argentina condemning them to a comprehensive 6-0 rout at the World Cup.

It was not quite a defeat by that margin this time around, and they got better as the match went on – actually registering more shots throughout the contest with six to England’s five.

However, just one of those was on target, and they will be looking to be more clinical in their second Group C game against Slovenia.