Aha, Nick Ames’ report is with us which means we’re done here.
Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – but click below fo mo. Peace out!
I’m now watching the England-Denmark build-up; Now 20 veterans will appreciate the musical cue.
This sounds wholesome. Who could possibly have guessed that a Brexity polluter would be opposed to equity and regulation?
In other news:
Group C is properly up in the air now. If England were to beat Denmark, they’d be through, but any other result and all four teams will be fighting for qualification in the final round of matches.
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More more more more more:
On which point, Serbia are renowned for their set-piece expertise, and though it’s easy to apportion blame, when you hit an inswinger as wickedly as Ilic did, it’s almost impossible to defend against. The question, though, is why other teams aren’t as good at them; there’s not an elite-level one in world football that doesn’t have a player talented enough to put good balls into boxes with sufficient practise, just as there’s none who couldn’t get good at making runs, blocking defenders and planning routines – with sufficient focus. Every goal equals every other goal, however they come, so I don’t get why so many don’t do all they can to perfect this aspect of the game.
Imagine how Dragan Stojkovic is feeling now. At 1-0 he’d have been fearing the worst – elimination, humiliation and a potential job-loss. Now, though, he knows that a win over Denmark will almost definitely be enough for the last 16.
We’ll digest what we’ve just seen for a little bit, but do join Barry Glendenning for the Denmark v England build-up.
How Group C looks now.
Phew! That wasn’t the best match we’ve seen but what drama! I can’t begin to grasp the horror that Slovenia will be feeling – improbably, they were as good as through, and now they’ll need something against England, quite possibly a win, to progress. The sickness will linger long.
FULL TIME: Slovenia 1-1 Serbia
But for the fact that it came, that goal was not coming, but Slovenia have had qualification seized from their hands while Serbia might just have salvaged their tournament!
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GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOOOOAAAAAAL! Slovenia 1-1 Serbia (Jovic 90+5)
Another terrific delivery, Ilic’s ball ripping in from the right, and Jovic, backing away with various defenders yanking him down, is up in the middle of the box to glance an equaliser into the side-netting with what might be the final play of the game! Elation for Serbia, who’ve saved themselves! Desolation for Slovenia, who were so close! Football!
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90+5 min Serbia win a corner and the big goalie’s coming up!
90+4 min Vipotnik is booked for something, I didn’t see what.
90+3 min Liquid receptacles continue to rain down from the Serbia end, Oblak’s goal-area looking not unlike the your local sticky-floored discotheque.
90+2 min I’m a little surprise this hasn’t degenerated elevated into a ruck, but there’s still time, and as I type, Jovic is booked after lashing out following a foul on him. Sadly, the problem is probably refereeing competence – the standard so far has been high, making that in the Prem look poor poorer poorest. Serbia are raging but only because they’re losing; they lack focus.
90+1 min Change for Slovenia who, searching for their first Euros win, send on Brekalo, a defender, for Elsnik, an attacking midfielder.
90 min Again, Slovenia clear their lines, and we’ll have five additional minutes.
90 min Mitrovic bundles his way down the left and two defenders block him off at cost of a corner; Samardzic will take.
89 min Talking of whom…
88 min Should Serbia lose, they won’t be able to finish in the top two, but a win in their final game against Denmark might be enough to sneak into the last 16 as a third-place finisher.
87 min Janza, preparing to take a throw, is pelted with liquid receptacles, so the ref books him for timewasting.
86 min This time when the corner comes in, Oblak connects more firmly, the ball falling to Ilic who shoots low and hard … but we’re at that stage where defenders are blocking everything, Stankovic doing the work.
85 min Serbia win yet another free-kick, this time out on the left, and the delivery in is good; Oblak comes, flaps, and concedes a corner which yields another. It’s getting nervy if even your big goalie, who’s won a league and played in Champions League finals, is panicking.
83 min “Enjoyed the PG Wodehouse gruntled reference,” writes Michael Mand. “Here’s one for the Slovenian goalscorer: ‘That’s the way to get on in the world – by grabbing your opportunities. Why, what’s Big Ben but a wrist-watch that saw its chance and made good?”
You cannot beat a bit of Pelham Grenville.
82 min Stojkovic goes again, taking off Tadic and Zivkovic – I’m a little surprised at that – to bring on Samaerdzi and Birmancevic.
81 min Gacinovic gets on the ball down the left and makes ground, slides a gorgeous-looking pass into the box … and to absolutely naebody.
80 min Gosh, our guy Karnicnik is on one; the ball breaks to him outside the box and fro 25 yards, he whistles a right-footer just past the far post.
78 min If this match stays like this, Slovenia will be pretty much through. They’re ranked 57 in the world, and I daresay those us not Slovenian will be missing one helluva par-eh.
76 min Further Slovenia changes, Verbic and Vipotnik for Sesko and Stojanovic.
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75 min Tadic, a look of desperation in his eyes, drives towards the box and, 25 yards from goal, right of centre, Cerin hauls him down. Free-kick Serbia, Tadic looking for the back post but Milinkovic-Savic is up in the middle, his flick going behind off Stankovic. Goalkick says the ref, and this is a much better game now.
72 min Zivkovic crosses from the right and Mitrovic’s eyes bulge; he’s in front of his man and sweeps with the flight of the ball to arrange an equaliser. But Karnicnik is that man, and for these few minutes at least, he’s also him, extending a leg to divert the ball against the angle! This is what it’s all about, players experiencing the moments of their life, for better or for worse – for our delectation.
71 min A few seconds earlier Pien Meulensteen noted this game is now the tournament-leader for minutes spent at 0-0; not no more, and the Slovenia fans are absolutely avin it!
GOAL! Slovenia 1-0 Serbia (Karnicnik 69)
Now then! Karnicnik wins possession and breaks from right-back into centrefield at quite some space, then spreads left to Elsnik … and pootles forward unmolested. Meantime, Elsnik crosses low to the back post, Milinkovic-Savic is caught pondering the vagaries of existential philosophy, and Karnicnik slides home, just about!
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67 min Stojanovic breaks down the right but, like Ji-sung Park, he reminds me of a Kick Off 2 player, unable to change direction once running in a straight line. Meanwhile, Pavlovic leans on him just enough to send him flying, and the ref has no interest in the eventuating penalty howls.
65 min Breaking news! Here’s Accra legend DJ Knobs with the sounds of your summer/rainy season.
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63 min Ch ch ch changes: for Slovenia, it’s Jon Gorenc Stankovic for Jan Mlakar and for Serbia, it’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luka Jovic for Dusan Vlahovic and a less then gruntled Ssaa Lukic, who teaches the Allianz turf a lesson it’ll never forget.
61 min “Your argument that ‘the crucial difference now is that the big lads have feet” is spot on,” reckons Martin Wright. “Because talented kids are now swept up into high quality academies at a young age – crucially before they become ‘big lads’ – they are technically superior to the big lads of yesteryear who were used as battering rams at centre-back or centre-forward.”
I also think there’s just a greater emphasis on skills – I’d argue that, over the last two decades, the most influential men’s footballer isn’t him, or him, rather Ronaldinho. The game changed with him, though i meant to note in my earlier response that even in the 50s, it was the case that a good big lad was better than a good small lad, and if you don’t believe me, watch Duncan Edwards vids on YouTube. In fact do that anyway.
59 min The corner comes to nowt.
58 min Slovenia are sitting back now – maybe they’re asking for it, maybe they’re being smart. Meantime, a passage of play that shows this perfectly, Tadic skirting around the outside regardless of any defensive structure and cutting back … but missing Mitrovic, just. So Slovenia counter with Sesko who, from distance, tries the kind of outswinger that’s been so successful so far in this tournament, but Rajokovic tips it behind easily enough.
57 min Serbia win another corner and again, Tadic will swing in; this time, Oblak comes and just about flicks the ball clear.
56 min “I reckon the raising of the standard of national teams can be largely put down to the Nations League,” writes Jonny Bull. “There are plenty of other factors too, but teams of equal quality playing each other more frequently has resulted in more confident and better organised teams playing to win. It’s also meant teams have a better idea of where they stand, rather than major tournament qualification or the dubious Fifa rankings being the only available metrics.”
Hmmm, I wonder if we’d be seeing the results of that so soon. My guess would be that there are more brilliant players in the world than ever before – loads more.
54 min Stojaniovic megs Lukic, who stands his ground, the ref appraising a bodycheck not an innocent coming together; out comes the yellow card.
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52 min The more Serbia attack, the more likely they are to leave gaps at the back for Sesko, and when Sporar wins possession, a slotted pass might’ve sent him through. But the defender, Cerin I think, does enough to hold him up and the ref calls back the play dfor a Slovenian free-kick which comes to nowt.
50 min This is good from Serbia now, the initial corner cleared before Tadic slings over another cross, and this time Mitrovic is there! But again, he contorts into a diving, glancing effort but can’t make it do what he wants, this time the header going wide.
48 min First flash of Gacinovic, who swings in a nasty cross – one of those that needs on touch to go in but might also go in of its own accord … so Bijol takes a swipe and will be relived to see it slice wide.
48 min “Football goes through periods of valuing physicality above all else, says Kári Tulinius, “until some team figures out a different way to play. When Manchester United faced Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2009, the expectation was that the physically powerful English team would blow away the dainty Catalan side. The great Swedish team of the late 50s thought they could bully Brazil off the park in the World Cup final. The strapping Englishmen thought they could rush the Scottish professors of passing in the late 19th century. There are countless examples of this. Bigger is different, not better.”
I’m not sure about that – I was there in the United in 09 and I know I didn’t think that. Also, Guardiola, the high priest of the little lads, has recently realised athleticism helps – I doubt he reneges – and the crucial difference now is the big lads – your Bellinghams, your Rodris – have feet.
47 min Mitrovic wins a header and exchanges passes with Tadic! He’s in! But on the right side of the box, he doesn’t have many options to play with, and Oblak is on him so quickly all he can do is shoot into the keeper’s midriff. Serbia, though, remain in the ascendancy.
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46 min We go again, Serbia bringing on Gacinovic for Mladenovic.
Back come wa teams.
Half-time email: “In defence of basketball,” says Des Stewart, “small people can play too. I know Spud Webb is unusual at 5ft 7ins in his bare feet but wow...”
Goodness me!
Half-time reading:
HALF-TIME: Slovenia 0-0 Serbia
It’s tight but it’s opening up. With both sides desperate for the win, the second half should be frantic.
45 min We’ll have one additional minute and Serbia have a corner, which they take short; Zivkovic then crosses, but at the back post, Mitrovic can’t get a head on it.
43 min Again, it’s take Srrbia half an hour to get going, but they’re starting to hum now, Lukic beating one man then swiping a shot from the edge, Oblak fisting clear easily enough.
42 min Here come Serbia down the right, Zivkovic crossing and Drkusic doing just enough to keep Vlahovic away from it in the middle then, at the back post, Mitrovic outmuscles Karncic but Oblak, right on top of him, smothers his shot
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39 min “The longer this game goes on,” reckons Dean Kinsella, “the better England’s win over Serbia looks. And the tougher their up-coming game against Slovenia appears. Two very competent organised teams.”
Yup – I wonder if they less fancied teams are peaking now, whereas players who play in the “big” leagues and competed in the European knockouts are hanging on. I do, though, think England can be much better than they were because there’s a better team in that squad than the one Southgate’s found.
37 min But here come Slovenia! Elsnik plays an inadvertent one-two off a defender, collects the return-pass and sashays into the box. But the ball is running slightly across him, such that when he leathers it, though his connection is true, the touch of fade takes it crashing against the post! But it breaks to Sesko, who sets himself to curl into the top corner from 10 yards … but he can’t find sufficient draw, the effort flying wide! Those were two extremely presentable chances in the context of what we’ve seen so far.
36 min This is not a good game, but it’s not a terrible one either.
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34 min That is, of course, a reflection on the miserable effort they made of rebuilding Wembley. what’s sad about the England portion of the tournament, though, is that St James’ Park aside, the grounds they’ve chosen are all new-builds, presumably because the authorities don’t realise people come to the game to experience intensity, not wifi.
33 min “With regard to travelling fans at Euros,” says John Brennan, “For the next one if (big IF) Ireland qualify, I’d like to see at least one of their games played in Manchester or Liverpool instead of all the games being played in Dublin. I think the novelty of being at a different venue increases the atmosphere whereas if all games are in Dublin, it becomes not that much different from a qualifier (epecially as Dublin will be pretty much an outpost and will likely see travelling fans just coming in for a day around games). It was much commented in Ireland how the Irish fans at Rugby World Cup in France made for a much different atmosphere than you would normally get at home games in Dublin.”
I agree. In 1966 they fiddled it so England played every game at Wembley and I’d not be surprised to see that happen again. But it’s not a ground conducive to atmosphere, and if they were to play elsewhere, we’d see something very different and a whole lot better.
31 min And his ball in’s a belter, spitting and curling into the danger zone and bouncing with Mitrovic peeling away from his wrestling match with Bijol to wave a head at it. but he can’t impart proper contact and the ball goes behind for a goalkick.
31 min Vlahovic is beginning to influence proceedings and helps Serbia win a corner down the right, Tadic to take will plenty of scuffling inside the box.
29 min ““Bug swutches’?” wonders Paul in Glesga. “I didn’t know Ally McCoist was from New Zealand...”
Trudat, they do like their chups there. I wonder if there’s a connection.
27 min Bit of Serbia possession, a nice ball into Vlahovic, well controlled, allowing them to build – again down the left. And they eventually work a crossing opportunity, wasted by Tadic, but when they go again, Mladenovic crosses towards the near-post area and Vlahovic, on the dive, acquaints brow with ball … but directs his header more or less straight at Oblak.
25 min Stojanovic stretches down the right, so Mladenovic trims his legs for him. Yellow card.
24 min “Although footballers (especially keepers and central defenders) are bigger than they were,” says Simon Sweetman, “most of this is in line with increases in height generally. What with that and the increased speed you might argue that the pitches are too small.”
I can buy that, but I also think we’re seeing improved technical ability in the big lads, which makes a difference. And while I don’t think pitches are too small, I remember watching Man City take Madrid apart last season – or is it the season before last now? – and with Rodri and Stones station on the edge of the box, I just couldn’t see a space through which Real could get out.
23 min The corner is again dreadful, and Rajkovic collects then clears.
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22 min Slovenia move down the left but as soon as they attempt a difficult pass they give it away. No matter: Sesko regains possession almost immediately, forcing Pavlovic to scurry back and concede a corner.
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20 min “I do hope that football isn’t going the way of other sports,” writes Richard O’Hagan. “At 6’”5 I’ve never had any interest in basketball, because there must be something fundamentally wrong with a game where I would be the short guy. It’ll be a very dull world if every contact sport only involves those who are a foot over average height and 50kgs over average weight.”
I dunno about that – sport is about the unequal distribution of physical resources, and the athleticism and skill we see in, say, basketball is amazing. But I do think a beauty of football is that is is less discriminatory in that aspect.
18 min Serbia’s build-up has, so far, been focused down the left. But to create space, they might try hutting bug swutches, as Ally McCoist might say, because so far they’re not managing to stretch their opponents.
17 min Serbia progress down the left, Tadic making a cunning run inside to accept possession in space. But when the ball comes into the box, Zivkovic is crowded out, and this has been pretty low-quality fare thus far.
15 min Hey, Daddy, I want an early goal. I want you to get me an early goal right away.
13 min So far, it’s Serbia who’ve had more of the ball but Slovenia who’ve threatened more, and a long ball pumped over the top causes further consternation Valjojovic just about seeing it back to Rajkovic, whose indecisiveness will not have gone unnoticed.
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11 min Email! It’s not only football that’s seeing an increase in unit-rich teams,” writes Martin Wright. “It’s become a feature of basketball (so now, not just tall, but also a certain type of brick-made house); hurling in Ireland is dominated by Limerick who are huge; as well as the well-documented change in the physique of rugby players. I hope football can resist the ‘a good big ‘un will beat a good little ‘un’ maxim...”
Only if it’s true which, realistically, it isn’t. The best little lads will of course still do what they do, but my sense is we’ll see fewer of them as time progresses.
9 min Which is dreadful, and Serbia clear.
8 min And that could’ve been one! Mlakar escapes his marker and gets in behind, right-centre of the box; the ball finds him and he has a proper sight of goal, but can only shoot into Rajkovic’s boot. Decent save, but not much composure in the finish, which needed something a bit cuter, so Slovenia must settle for a corner.
7 min It’s pretty messy for far, but both teams are playing with intensity and tempo. I’d not be surprised to see goals here, nor cards.
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6 min There’s a lot of “Kosovo … Serbia!” chanting. People.
5 min Unlike against England, when Serbia had Vlahovic behind Mitrovic, today it’s Mitrovic behind Vlahovic.
4 min Serbia give it away in midfield, not for the first time, and Sporar seizes upon it, breaking forward and finding Cerin … whose shot is blocked.
2 min Ah, there’s more from our man in München, and hell be ecstatic to learn I agree. Footballistically, 24 teams is silly, but realitilily, it means banging atmospheres and aggressive football.
Still early days but – for the first time really – we're seeing signs that a 24-team tournament might not be so stupid. Barely a dud game so far, most minnows playing with distinct identities & exceptional intensity while holding their own tactically.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) June 19, 2024
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1 min And immediately, Serbia charge about, Zivkovic spreading left to Mladenovic, who wastes no time in sticking an early ball into the box. Neither Vlahovic nor Mitrovic can get on the end of it, but that’ll be how Stojkovic wants them to get their goals.
1 min Aaaand away we go!
Here’s my review of Scotland v Switzerland and my preview of Denmark v England.
This is bang-on. A central European host has allowed fans to come from all over, and it feels like every team has had proper support. I’m sure the accordant atmosphere has impacted on the gloriously feral nature of the football we’ve seen so far.
Slovenia v Serbia obviously the undercard today for most. But inside Allianz Arena it feels genuinely massive – two small countries have packed the place out & atmosphere is hair-raising once again. Huge followings really giving this tournament another gear so far.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) June 20, 2024
It’s hot as you like in Munich, which might mean a game slower than those we’ve seen to this point. Or it might mean the players flog themselves even harder. Anthem time.
…and here they come!
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Our teams are tunnelled…
We’ve had some good anthems – antha? – so far. I think Turkey’s was my favourite of the first round of games, but this, from last evening set a new bar.
That was incredible!! 🥹🫶
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) June 19, 2024
📺📲 Watch live on @BBCOne Scotland & @BBCiPlayer #BBCEuros #Euro2024 #SCOSWI pic.twitter.com/FOjRynQXYR
So where is the game? I imagine Serbia will still be looking to hit Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandr Mitrovic with crosses. But the presence of Tadic gives them the option of sliding cunning balls down the sides of the Slovenian centre-backs.
Slovenia, meanwhile, will know that back threes can make a team vulnerable behind the wing-backs and between wing-back and centre-back. And they’ll also know that a 4-4-2 – their formation of choice – is perhaps the one best equipped to exploit that. I also imagine they’d like to get Sesko with the ball at his feet and running at defenders – he’s not easy to stop once on the move.
I can’t wait to see how Sesko does today. I actually think we’re seeing a turning point in men’s football at the moment: the increased proliferation of big lads with feet. I hope it doesn’t mean the gradual eradication to diminutive playmakers and such, but if we look at the best teams in the world, they’re increasingly unit-rich.
Also going on:
Slovenia, then. I’ve not been everywhere, but Ljubljana is a beautiful city while Bled and Bohinj are beautiful spots – all over, the ice cream is fantastic. I was a particular fan of the keks and amarena flavours, but really you can’t go wrong.
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Yup, on ITV they’re also talking about … England.
I actually wonder if Tadic might be the key figure in this game. At 35, he can’t be expected to charge about and I’m certain that was what Dragan Stojkovic wanted from his players against England. But his touch and intelligence between the lines are ideal for match like this one, and if I was Matjaz Kek, I’d be making special provisions to deal with him.
Looking again at that Serbia team, I assumed that Tadic – the captain – was omitted specifically for the England game, and I’m not at all surprised he’s back for this one. I can’t say I expected Milinkovic-Savic to be left out, but he’s only himself to blame: he’s no longer playing in Serie A, and he did almost nothing in the last game.
Gosh.
Serbia are demanding that UEFA punish Croatia and Albania after accusing their fans of hateful chanting during their Euro 2024 clash in Hamburg on Wednesday.
Jovan Surbatovic, General Secretary of the Football Association of Serbia, said a formal complaint had been submitted, claiming that Croatia and Albania fans chanted “Kill, kill, kill the Serb” during the 2-2 draw.
He even threatened that Serbia, themselves charged by UEFA for incidents during their defeat by England last Saturday, could withdraw from the tournament.
“First of all, I want to thank our fans for their support in the match against England and I hope we will beat Slovenia,” Surbatovic was quoted by Serbia’s PTC.
“What happened is scandalous and we will ask UEFA for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition. If UEFA doesn’t punish them, we will think about how to proceed.”
On Monday the Serbian Football Association was charged by UEFA after their supporters displayed a banner that “transmitted a provocative message unfit for a sports event” and for throwing objects inside the stadium.
That charge came after the Kosovo Football Federation complained to UEFA about “Serbian fans displaying political, chauvinistic, and racist messages against Kosovo” during their 1-0 defeat by England.
“We were punished for isolated cases and our fans behaved much better than the others,” Surbatovic said.
“One fan was punished for racist insults and we don’t want it to be attributed to others. We Serbs are gentlemen and we have an open heart.”
Goodness us, on 5 live they’re talking about … Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes.
For Slovenia, it’s simple: they’re unchanged. Serbia, though, make three alteration: on the left of midfield Filip Mladenovic is in for Filip Kostic, whose injury was not a fillip, while in the middle, Ivan Ilic and Dusan Tadic are in for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Nemanja Gudelj.
Apologies, I was disturbed by a meat delivery and the lack of space left for it by the Fridge Boss. I’ll now write these teams down, then we’ll take a closer look at what they’re all about.
Teams!
Slovenia (4-4-2): Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza; Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko. Subs: Balkovec, Blazic, Stankovic, Verbic, Lovric, Belec, Kurtic, Horvat, Vekic, Vipotnik, Celar, Brekalo, Zugelj, Zeljkovic, Ilicic.
Serbia (3-4-1-2): Rajkovic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Ilic, Lukic, Mladenovic; Tadic; Vlahovic, Mitrovic. Subs: Stojic, Maksimovic, Gudelj, Jovic, Kostic, Petrovic, Babic, Mijailovic, Ratkov, Samardzic, S Milinkovic-Savic, Gacinovic, V Milinkovic-Savic, Spajic, Birmancevic.
Preamble
If there’s one thing this tournament has taught us, it’s that we don’t know anything. Who could possibly have thought that group-stage matches between Georgia and Turkey or Albania and Croatia would be instantly absorbed into the annals of football as stone-cold classics? Or that England’s opening performance would disappoint, inspiring anguish, ire and tedium?
That, though, was not due solely to them. Rather, Serbia – so timid in the first half-hour – roused themselves, making the game a physical ordeal while moving the ball with tempo and conviction. If they produce similar today, Slovenia will have a problem.
However Slovenia also played well in drawing with Denmark, disciplined at the back and hardworking in midfield, with the star-quality of Benjamin Sesko giving them edge up front. They’ll fancy themselves to do something here, and with both sides most likely needing a win to progress, we may just be set for another workday afternoon belter.
Kick-off: 3pm local, 2pm BST
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