England kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Serbia, but it was far from a smooth sail for the Three Lions.
Jude Bellingham’s early goal provided the decisive moment, yet the match raised more questions than answers for England.
Bellingham’s 13th-minute header, converting Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross, put England in the lead.
It was a well-deserved goal reflecting England’s dominant start, with 150 completed passes compared to Serbia’s 15 at that point.
As the game progressed, Serbia grew in confidence, testing England’s defense with Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 20th-minute effort that narrowly missed the target.
However, Serbia’s threats were largely contained, with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford making a crucial save from Dusan Vlahovic’s late strike.
England captain Harry Kane had a subdued first half but came close to doubling the lead with a powerful header, brilliantly saved by Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.
Despite the win, it was a low-action affair with only 11 shots in total, a record low for a European Championship match.
England’s Marc Guéhi impressed in defense, maintaining a 96% pass completion rate and thwarting Serbia’s attacking threats.
The victory marks a positive start for England, known for slow beginnings in European Championships.
With room for improvement, England aims to replicate their tournament growth from Euro 2020 and build momentum in Euro 2024.
