Bellingham's heroics help England beat Serbia in Euro 2024 opener

Gelsenkirchen: Jude Bellingham led England to a narrow 1-0 victory over Serbia here, marking a positive start to their Euro 2024 campaign. Despite Bellingham's standout performance, capped by a header in the 13th minute, the overall display left doubts about England's Euro aspirations.

Bellingham, praised by Serbia's coach as a future Ballon d'Or winner, showcased his talent with a goal and dominant midfield play. However, England failed to reach the commanding levels seen by teams like Germany and Spain in their opening matches.

Expectations were high for England, yet recent form had been inconsistent, including a concerning loss to Iceland before the tournament. The team's full-strength lineup promised a strong start, but they struggled to dominate beyond the first half.

Kyle Walker missed a chance to extend their lead before halftime, and in the second half, England retreated somewhat, inviting pressure from Serbia. Defensive concerns arose, especially in the absence of key players like Harry Maguire.

Manager Gareth Southgate acknowledged the team's defensive lapses but praised their resilience in securing the win. The introduction of substitutes Conor Gallagher and Jarrod Bowen helped steady the ship 
late in the game.

While the victory provided England with three crucial points, it fell short of the emphatic statement they aimed to make as tournament favourites.

'We didn't deserve' England defeat, says Serbia coach Stojkovic

"To have the English defending I'm very proud with how the players reacted. We haven't deserved to be defeated but it is what it is. We keep going on," Stojkovic said.

Stojkovic made several brave calls as captain Dusan Tadic was left on the bench and he then replaced Serbia's all-time top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic when chasing an equaliser.

"We managed to get to where we wanted to get to some more chances," added Stojkovic, in defence of his decisions. AFP