Euro 2024: England hang on to beat Serbia 1-0 with Jude Bellingham header

NEW DELHI: Jude Bellingham's first-half header gave England a 1-0 victory over Serbia, kicking off their Euro 2024 campaign on a high note. The match began confidently for England but ended with them holding on for the win.
Bellingham timed his run perfectly to meet Bukayo Saka's deflected cross, scoring from close range in the 13th minute. The goal came after Bellingham started the move himself, helping put England ahead early in the game.
This win placed England at the top of Group C, following Denmark and Slovenia's 1-1 draw earlier in the day.Bellingham stayed involved throughout, driving England's attack and drawing loud cheers from fans at the Arena AufSchalke.
Gareth Southgate's team initially created opportunities down the right side, with Saka combining well with fullback Kyle Walker. Walker's runs were a consistent threat in the first half.
However, Serbia gained momentum in the second half, posing more of a challenge. England struggled to replicate their early dominance after halftime.
By the end of the match, there were only 11 total shots, with Serbia taking six and England five. This was the lowest shot tally in a European Championship match since at least 1980, according to Opta data.
When asked if the loss of momentum indicated that England was still a work in progress, Bellingham took issue with the suggestion.
"I don't agree with that," he said. "I think the first half shows why we can score goals against any team and the second half shows why we can keep a clean sheet against any team."
At the start of the second half, Serbia improved their play after coach Dragan Stojkovic substituted Ivan Ilic for defensive midfielder Nemanja Gudelj. Striker Dusan Vlahovic soon sent a dangerous cross through England's box, energizing the Serbian fans.
Stojkovic then intensified his offensive strategy by bringing on Dusan Tadic and Luka Jovic just past the hour mark.
In response, England's coach, Gareth Southgate, introduced the energetic Conor Gallagher, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was playing in an unusual midfield position.
Another substitute, Jarrod Bowen, set up a precise cross for captain Harry Kane. Kane's header was dramatically saved by goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, hitting the bar in the 77th minute.
Five minutes later, Jordan Pickford made a crucial save, tipping over a powerful shot from Vlahovic as Serbia maintained their pressure.
Despite the onslaught, England's restructured defense, featuring the impressive Marc Guehi in his first major tournament and right-footed Kieran Trippier as a stand-in left back, managed to secure the win.
Kane acknowledged the performance was not a classic by England. "Overall a deserved win. It's just about getting through," said the England captain.
"There was a spell in the second half where we got camped in our box and we found it hard to get out but it was an important win tonight."
England next play Denmark on Thursday after Serbia take on Slovenia.