Slovenia vs Serbia
Watch Slovenia vs Serbia full match replay and highlights.
KICK-OFF at 13:00 (GMT) on 20th June 2024
The referee for this match is I. Kovács
Game played at Fußball Arena München
This is a match in Europe – UEFA European Championship, Group C, Season 2024
Jović’s Last-Minute Heroics Salvage Draw for Serbia Against Slovenia
Luka Jović scored a last-gasp equalizer for Serbia at the Allianz Arena in Munich, securing a 1-1 draw against Slovenia and keeping their hopes of reaching the UEFA European Championship knockout stages alive.
Both sides knew that three points could be essential to their respective hopes of sealing progression into the last 16. Slovenia, slightly better positioned with a point already to their name, started the match positively. Adam Gnezda Čerin capitalized on some slack Serbian defending, forcing Predrag Rajković into an early save.
First Half Action
It took until shortly before the half-hour mark for Serbia to challenge Jan Oblak as Dragan Stojković’s side looked to recover from their 1-0 defeat to England. Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović got himself in front of Vanja Drkušić with a diving header, but the Atlético Madrid keeper was up to the task.
Slovenia had the best chance of the first half on 37 minutes when Timi Max Elšnik’s shot crashed off the post, and Benjamin Šeško missed the rebound. Despite a late flurry from Serbia, which saw Aleksandar Mitrović’s close-range effort smothered by Oblak, the half ended goalless—the second such occurrence in this tournament so far.
Second Half Drama
Straight from the restart, Mitrović linked up well with captain Dušan Tadić, but was again denied by Oblak. Slovenia’s Jaka Bijol had a moment of panic, slicing substitute Mijat Gaćinović’s cross just over his own bar.
The match set a new mark for the longest wait for a goal in Euro 2024, but Žan Karničnik ensured it didn’t end scoreless. In the 68th minute, the right-back pick-pocketed Gaćinović, made a powerful run into the Serbian half, and played the ball out to Elšnik on the left. Continuing his run untracked, Karničnik was perfectly positioned at the back post to slide home the opening goal.
Serbia’s Late Response
Serbia nearly responded immediately. Andrija Živković’s cross was met by Mitrović, who rattled the crossbar from close range. Serbian frustrations mounted as time ticked away, but with the allotted five minutes of stoppage time already up, Jović rose to meet Ivan Ilić’s corner and headed it into the bottom corner, igniting celebrations among the Serbian supporters.
Looking Ahead
- Serbia: Stojković’s men, buoyed by the late equalizer, face Denmark on Tuesday with renewed hope.
- Slovenia: With two points from their first two games, Slovenia will take on England in their next match, aiming to secure their own progression.
This dramatic encounter leaves both teams with everything to play for in their final group stage matches. Serbia’s resilience and Slovenia’s strong start set the stage for an exciting conclusion to Group D.