Bellingham heads England to opening Euro victory over Serbia

Jude Bellingham's first-half header made all the difference in Gelsenkirchen, as England, the favorites of the tournament, had a tense start at Euro 2024. Despite facing heavy pressure from a spirited Serbia side in the second half, England managed to hold on and secure a 1-0 victory.

After reaching the finals in 2021, Gareth Southgate's team started the match strongly, dominating the first 10 minutes with the support of a large English crowd. They deservedly took the lead just before the 15-minute mark.

Bukayo Saka was a constant threat down the right flank throughout the first half, and it was his cross, deflected fortuitously into the path of Bellingham by Kyle Walker, that led to the goal. Bellingham timed his header perfectly, finding the top corner of the net.

Despite conceding early, Serbia had a chance to equalize around the 20-minute mark. Trent Alexander-Arnold, playing in midfield alongside Declan Rice, carelessly lost possession in his own third, allowing Aleksandar Mitrović to take a shot from the edge of the area. However, his effort went wide of Jordan Pickford's goal.

From that point onwards, Serbia gained more control of the game, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances against England's solid defense. England themselves found it difficult to create openings before halftime.

The match remained finely balanced at the interval, and Serbia came out as a different team in the second half. They kept England pinned in their own half for long periods, but breaking through the English defense to test Pickford proved to be a challenge.

Southgate made substitutions, bringing on Conor Gallagher and Jarrod Bowen, in an attempt to improve England's performance. Bowen almost provided a decisive second goal with a floated cross from the right, which Harry Kane met with a close-range effort. However, Rajkovic made a fantastic save, turning the ball onto the crossbar.

At the opposite side, Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic displayed a flash of his skills by unleashing a powerful shot from 25 yards, which Pickford managed to tip over as the match approached its final 10 minutes.

The English team was facing significant pressure as the game was coming to an end, but their defense, although somewhat makeshift, remained solid, securing a successful start to their journey to end a 58-year trophy drought.

Securing another win would ensure their spot in the knockout rounds, while Serbia will have to face Slovenia in their upcoming match, needing to avoid a loss in order to stay in the competition.