In a closely contested match, Serbia managed to snatch a 1-1 draw against Slovenia, denying them their first-ever win in a European Championship. The game, held on Thursday, saw Zan Karnicnik’s 69th-minute goal placing Slovenia on the brink of a monumental triumph. However, Serbia’s substitute Luka Jovic leveled deep into stoppage time, dashing Slovenia’s hopes and keeping Serbia’s advancement aspirations alive.
The equalizer sparked jubilation among Serbian fans, though it was marred by incidents of flares and objects being thrown onto the field. Plastic cups littered the area around both goals in the final minutes, prompting stadium announcements urging fans to desist.
Serbian coach Dragan Stojkovic commented on the team’s resilience, stating, “Serbs do not die so easily. We believe all the way to the end and the reward came for believing.” Meanwhile, Slovenia’s coach Matjaz Kek acknowledged the disappointment but praised his team’s performance, affirming, “Slovenia has shown that it has a place here at the European Championships.”
Slovenia, after drawing against Denmark in their opener, faces England next in their final group match. On the other hand, Serbia, having lost to England initially, will confront Denmark in their bid to progress further in the tournament.
Before kickoff, Serbia’s participation in the competition was briefly in question due to reported offensive fan chants during the Albania-Croatia match. When asked about this issue, Stojkovic remained focused on the game, stating, “Honestly speaking, I didn’t even read anything.”
The match itself was characterized by a fast pace from the start, with Slovenia’s Timi Elsnik hitting the post early on in what was their best chance of the first half. Karnicnik eventually broke the deadlock for Slovenia, only for Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic to hit the crossbar in a near-immediate response.
In a dramatic conclusion, Serbia pushed forward relentlessly, culminating in Jovic’s decisive header in the dying moments of stoppage time. Stojkovic expressed his admiration for Jovic’s contribution, stating simply, “I love him very much.”
