England responds presently. The losing finalist of the last edition of the European Championships began by winning against Serbia 1-0. Bellingham, deployed as an attacking midfielder, decides the goal in the 13th minute. The English team seemed compact and solid, in the offensive phase the plays of Bellingham and Saka were enough to put their opponents in difficulty. In the second half, however, Kane and his teammates dropped significantly, lowering their center of gravity and giving up ball possession, but without conceding much. The Serbs therefore played a decent match, demonstrating that they can compete for qualification to the next round with Denmark and Slovenia, the other teams that make up group C.
the race
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Southgate lines up his team with 4-2-3-1, with Foden, Bellingham and Saka behind Kane. Serbia responds with 3-5-2, with Kostic at full flank, Milinkovic in midfield and Vlahovic partnering with Mitrovic. The match, initially, is tactical and balanced, to the point that it is England who breaks the deadlock in the 13th minute, with the first real attack: Saka is left free, on the right, to put the ball in the center where Bellingham, with a header, hits Rajkovic. Serbia doesn’t stand by and watches and in the 20th minute they create with an action in which Vlahovic and Mitrovic communicated well with each other, who almost surprises Pickford from distance. The opportunities, which were lacking at the beginning, became more frequent, to the point that Walker, slightly off-balance at the moment of the shot, came close to making it 2-0 in the 25th minute.
the recovery
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In the second half Serbia changes its attitude. Milinkovic and his teammates are no longer passive, but rather press all over the pitch, trying to win the ball back quickly. Kostic and his teammates frequently reach the back of the pitch, but are unable to create. England, on the other hand, gives up on building the game: they continue with long balls for Kane, who however does not always manage to get the team up. The Bayern striker himself has the biggest chance of the second half on his head, but Rajkovic is reactive and saves himself by sending the ball onto the crossbar. For the rest, the English defense, despite suffering, manages to manage the opponents’ attempts. Bad for Serbia Milinkovic, who never really proved to be the leader of the team. Without being able to emerge. This is also why England managed to contain their opponents. And to win the first 3 points of the tournament.
