Serbia scored deep into injury time to earn a 1-1 draw with Slovenia in a thrilling Group C encounter at Euro 2024. Zan Karnicnik’s goal had appeared to secure Slovenia’s first-ever win at the Euros, only for Luka Jovic to equalize in the 96th minute.
Slovenia looked set to make history when Karnicnik found the net, giving his team a much-celebrated lead. However, Serbia persisted, and their efforts paid off dramatically in the dying moments of the game with Jovic’s late strike.
England will finish top of Group C if they beat Denmark in their upcoming match.
Report
Luka Jovic’s late equalizer earned Serbia a crucial point in their Euro 2024 Group C clash, drawing 1-1 with Slovenia in Munich. Zan Karnicnik had given Slovenia the lead midway through the second half, arriving at the back post to finish off an excellent team move.
Matjaz Kek’s side appeared poised to secure three vital points, but Jovic’s remarkable header from a corner in the 96th minute rescued a draw for Serbia in the final action of the game.
The match was a thrilling contest, with both sides hitting the woodwork and playing pulsating end-to-end football. Slovenia now sits on two points, with Serbia just one point behind, as they head into their final group games against England and Denmark, respectively.
In the opening period, Slovenia came closest to breaking the deadlock when Timi Max Elsnik’s thunderous effort from just outside the box struck the right post. Aleksandar Mitrovic had the best chance for Serbia in the first half, and shortly after the break, he found himself with a clear opening. Dusan Tadic played him in on goal, but Jan Oblak did excellently to smother his chipped effort.
Slovenia eventually broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when right-back Karnicnik half-volleyed home at the back post, finishing the move he had started with a driving run from deep. Serbia nearly found an instant equalizer as Mitrovic rattled the crossbar with an effort from close range, but they had to wait until the 96th minute for Jovic’s superb header to find the bottom left corner.
Jovic’s goal means Serbia can still finish in the top two of the group with a positive result against Denmark, while Slovenia will need a good result against England after being on the brink of qualification.
Serbia Need More from Star Strikers
Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic form a strike partnership that should rival any at Euro 2024. Vlahovic scored 18 goals as Juventus won the Coppa Italia last season, while Mitrovic, prolific over several seasons for Fulham, struck 40 times for Al Hilal as they won the Saudi Arabian title.
They have 63 goals between them for Serbia, yet neither has impressed in Germany. Mitrovic had six shots and an expected goals total of 0.92 against Slovenia, but a combination of Jan Oblak’s saves and his own profligacy kept him from finding the net. Despite this, Mitrovic at least posed a consistent threat.
Vlahovic, on the other hand, has been disappointing in both of Serbia’s fixtures, with an expected goals total of just 0.21 across both games. The 24-year-old, linked with moves to clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea, has looked off the pace in Germany.
Luka Jovic’s late goal against Slovenia means Serbia still have realistic hopes of reaching the last 16, but they have been one of the disappointments during the first week of the tournament. For Serbia to advance, they will need more impactful performances from their star strikers in the crucial upcoming matches.
Player of the Match – Zan Karnicnik (Slovenia)
Zan Karnicnik was named Player of the Match for his stellar performance against Serbia at Euro 2024. He scored Slovenia’s opening goal and made crucial defensive interventions, including deflecting a goal-bound shot onto the crossbar. Karnicnik’s dynamic play also drew a pivotal foul that resulted in a yellow card for the opponent. His contributions were decisive in Slovenia’s efforts to secure a valuable point in the tournament.
PLAYER RATINGS
Slovenia: Oblak 7. Karnicnik 9*, Drkusic 7, Bijol 7, Janza 8. Stojanovic 7, Gnezda Cerin 7, Elsnik 8, Mlakar 7. Sporar 6, Sesko 7. Subs: Stankovic 6, Verbic 5, Vipotnik 5, Brekalo N/A.
Serbia: Rajkovic 6, Veljkovic 6, Milenkovic 6, Pavlovic 7. Zivkovic 7, Ilic 6, Tadic 8, Lukic 7, Mladenovic 5. Vlahovic 6, Mitrovic 8. Subs: Gacinovic 5, Jovic 8, Milinkovic-Savic 6, Birmancevic 6, Samardzic 5.
Key stats
- Slovenia have lost only two of their last 16 competitive matches (W8 D6).
- A 2-1 away defeat against Denmark in EURO 2024 qualifying is Slovenia’s only defeat in their last 14 matches (W8 D5).
- Slovenia have only failed to score in one of their last 22 international matches.
- Slovenia are one of just two sides to hit the woodwork more than once at EURO 2024, along with Georgia (both 2).
- Aged 35 years and 213 days, Tadić is the oldest player to start for Serbia at a EURO finals. His current head coach, Dragan Stojković, was 99 days younger when he took the record at UEFA EURO 2000.
- Serbia have kept only two clean sheets in their last 16 EURO games.